Taxi Driver Online

Taxi firm owner, Kevin Fisher, threatens to dig up temporary repairs in Elmstead Road to force Essex County Council into action

TAXI firm owner says he will dig up temporary repairs on a road to force Essex County Council to fix it properly.

Kevin Fisher, who runs All the 8’s taxis, is fed up with the state of Elmstead Road in Wivenhoe, which is being used as diversion route while Colchester Road is closed.

The problem came to a head when one his cars suffered a puncture, due to the poor surface.

He had to spend £145 on a call out fee and for a new tyre when one of his drivers, Dean Coulson, suffered damage.

Mr Coulson said: “There were six elderly people in the taxi and there was nowhere safe to get out and stand.”

Mr Fisher reported the incident to Essex County Council and was told for him to make an insurance claim he needed to take pictures of the road.

When he went to take photographs, he found engineers had tried to fix the problem.

Mr Fisher said: “Within 48 hours they put stones in the sides of the road, trying to disguise their negligence.

“They obviously realised how badly damaged the road was getting.

“I will be closing the road and digging up the patching-up job the council has done to disguise the state of it.

“I have 15 vehicles and seven or eight owner-drivers. They are all paying road tax, but what for?”

Elmstead Road road was being used by drivers as a diversion as Colchester Road is closed from the Boundary Road to Elmstead Road while a cycle path is built alongside it.

It prompted the county council to make it one-way, forcing drivers to use the official six-mile diversion via the B1027 Brightlingsea Road, Wivenhoe Road, Alresford Road and Rectory Road.

The closure started five weeks before Christmas and restarted on January 4. Work has overrun and will not be completed until April 15.

A spokesman for Essex County Council said it could not comment on Mr Fisher’s compensation claim.

He said: “The road is regularly monitored due to the works happening nearby.

“It was made one-way in January due to concerns about safety.”

source: http://www.tivysideadvertiser.co.uk/new ... g__charge/

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