The HGV lobby is always very good at getting prominent stories in the media about how rising fuel prices victimise the poor old lorry industry. But you never see stories about the phenomenal damage done to local environments by crap HGV drivers, who regularly hit street furniture, bash bollards and drive over pavements smashing utility covers. They leave local authorities to pick up the bill, which means in reality that the HGV industry enjoys a hidden subsidy from all Council tax payers. The damage above, on Forest Road E17, is almost certainly the work of a Heavy Goods Vehicle. But it's the residents of Waltham Forest who'll be paying for the damage to be made good.
In fact according to one estimate, the lorry industry enjoys a hidden annual subsidy of £6.7 billion and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) on Britain’s roads are not paying anywhere near the full cost of the damage they cause to roads and communities, leaving taxpayers to pick up the bill.
Meanwhile the utility cover smashed by a Heavy Goods Vehicle driving over the pavement has still not been fixed on Tower Hamlets Road E17. I first noticed this last December. Although aware of the situation, this crap Council hasn't lifted a finger to see that the cover is replaced and the pavement made accessible for wheelchair users etc, who currently can't get past the temporary fencing.
