Altered Images – Tampering With Photographic Evidence
This post is unrelated to an early 1980’s Scottish new wave/post-punk band, fronted by singer Clare Grogan. When a Highways England contractor repairs damage, for example to a barrier, usually they take photographs of the pre-repair state and of the completed restoration (post-repair). But are the images accurate, for the incident subject of the claim or […]
It is Official, the ICO states ‘DCP rates exist for Area 9’
We have long evidenced Kier Highways and Highways England acting in concert to charge Third Parties (drivers, fleets, hauliers or their insurers), contract non-complaint rates; making exaggerated claims utilising a contract non-compliant price list – a set of high DCP (Damage to Crown Property) rates. Kier did so by engaging a contract non-complaint process, assisted […]
Kier Highways at it Again
A contractor having had their knuckles wrapped for adding a 10% ‘admin’ fee to claims (HHJ Godsmark – para 40): The additional 10% Administration Charge is not a reasonable addition to the CECA rates and would thus lead to an unreasonable repair total. It is disallowed. we now note Kier Highways, using in part CECA […]
The NsoRC and Highways England’s Failure to Explain
What was the National Schedule of Repairs Costs (NSoRC) really about and why did it fail. Thus far, an FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request has failed to uncover the truth. The request relates to Highways England’s 21/06/2019 implementation of the NSoRC (National Schedule of Repair Costs). I believe the Authority has, once again, misrepresented […]
Kier’s Time Travelling Crash Cushion
Doctor What? … the paperwork it seems … Kier Highways Ltd develops a crash cushion able to be in two places at once. At noon a Kier Crash-Cushion HX67WRF left the depot to attend an incident for some 2 hours 45 minutes: The vehicle appears to have contained anything from one to 4 operatives. But […]
Who is in Charge?
07/2014, KIER HIGHWAYS LIMITED, then EM Highways Services Ltd, previously Enterprisemouchel Limited, were appointed to manage Area 9. If Damage to Crown Property (DCP) occurred, for example, a vehicle hit a barrier, the charging process was: tally up the base rates (costs) for staff, operatives, plant and materials then add an uplift percentage Simple. Billing […]
Who is in charge?
It appears the Green Claims department at Highways England is not managed and struggling. The ‘Green Claims’ team handle those claims the Authority makes against drivers who cause damage to the Strategic Road Network (SRN). As opposed to Red Claims, which are where drivers make a claim against Highways England. An example of a Green […]
Misunderstanding Transparency
31/10/2019 Highways England reports: ‘We do not have schedules of rates for the unplanned/emergency repairs specified in those contracts’. This is incorrect – the Authority does have schedules of rates ‘This lack of transparency led to concerns in the insurance industry that drivers and insurers were not being correctly charged for repairs’. This is incorrect […]
Highways England Reverts to Unreasonable Rates for DCP Works
Seemingly unable to find a single schedule of Damage to Crown Property (DCP) rates in 2018 for any of their Asset Support Contracts (since 2012), in 2019, Highways England compiled the NSoRC – National Schedule of Repair Costs. Not just any schedule, but a ‘reasonable‘ set of rates to be applied across all Areas. How […]
161121 Highways England’s ‘Effort’ to Address Costs
21/11/2016, Highways England’s CEO, Jim O’Sullivan, wrote to us: ‘I also want to ensure that drivers only pay appropriately for the damage they do to Crown property. I’m sure the current process could be simpler and I know Tim and Nick will be working to achieve this. We are certainly putting a lot of effort […]