Printable Version of Topic

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Jun 20 2009, 08:46 PM

Anyone else tried the top deck yet? Felt a bit portakabin-ish there but really liked the escalator and the way trolleys are magnetically locked to them. Whatever next - except that the ramp is, so they tell me, electrically heated.

Enter the whingers.....

Posted by: GMR Jun 21 2009, 02:36 PM

http://img3.imageshack.us/i/s4200187.jpg/


http://img3.imageshack.us/i/s4200186.jpg/

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Jun 21 2009, 02:59 PM

Hi tech stuff, here GMR - thanks. Did you go aloft yourself?

Posted by: GMR Jun 21 2009, 03:32 PM

Hi,

No... but maybe next time I'll take my bike up there.

I did notice the new escalators inside Sainsbury's. It seems it will be a very good store.

Posted by: Bill1 Jun 21 2009, 06:21 PM

The contractors have been excellent there.

If only all this kind of work could be done as intelligently as this.

Posted by: GMR Jun 21 2009, 07:16 PM

I agree; Sainsbury's pay the best and expect good service. WBC pay the minimum and also expect top service. You get what you pay for at the end of the day.

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Jun 21 2009, 08:24 PM

Yes, it's as if the work has been going on without anyone really noticing and then, suddenly, most of the top deck of a new car park is ready for use only a few months after it all started. Fair play to them and fair play to JS for giving free parking - have occasionally had to convince visitors to Newbury that this is the case, they tend to assume there must be a charge.

Posted by: J C Jun 24 2009, 06:16 PM

after walking to Sainsburys today it seems that drivers have now forgotten what a zebra crossing is, I got several filthy looks and even one driver honked his horn in anger while I was trying to cross the road

Posted by: GMR Jun 24 2009, 06:33 PM

Did you know that the zebra crossing on Sainsbury's car park is private property, therefore is no legal standing.

Posted by: JeffG Jun 24 2009, 07:01 PM

Having tried it once, I don't think I'll be using the upper deck very often. I found it very frustrating having to stand still on the travelator with my trolley's wheels firmly locked. (I also get a bit annoyed with people whose legs stop working once they get on the escalator in M&S - but I guess that's classed as a "rant" )

And at the risk of seeming to moan (would I ever??) I can't understand why some people here suggest the changes to the car park have gone on largely unnoticed - it's been a nightmare negotiating it for the past several weeks. Though it's going to be great when it's finished, and I agree the upper deck seems to be appearing as if by magic.

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Jun 24 2009, 07:10 PM

Honestly never found a problem, must say Jeff, so perhaps it's just the times of the day and the two or so days of the week I go shopping. At least there are no bollards there, only pillars to hit. The top deck will be a bit chilly in wintertime, mind.

Posted by: Iommi Jun 24 2009, 07:17 PM

I'm not sure that is strictly true. I remember once reading how under certain circumstances people can be prosecuted (sued?) for speeding on private land if it is a highway that is used by the public. Perhaps there might be some mechanism similar to this for the crossing points in a car park.

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Jun 24 2009, 07:39 PM

Yeah, and I'm going back 30 odd years here - I remember a barrister telling us then that the acts and omissions of motorists on a private road to which the public had access could be construed in the same way as if it was a public highway when it came to claims. I assume public car parks would come into this category. Any shyster lawyer care to put us right?

Posted by: Iommi Jun 24 2009, 07:55 PM

Nicely put! (sorry for the spam, but I just had to put that in).

Posted by: GMR Jun 24 2009, 08:08 PM

I was told this by a police officer - a highway patrol officer a few years ago.

Posted by: Richard Head Jun 24 2009, 08:35 PM

I don't think WBC should be spending our Council Tax on more expensive contractors.

Posted by: GMR Jun 24 2009, 08:40 PM

Then you must accept what you get.

Posted by: Iommi Jun 24 2009, 10:20 PM

An area where a policeman has no jurisdiction is not the same thing as "no standing in law". I would accept that ignoring apparent highway road signs and markings on private land is not endorsable.

Sorry everyone, but I have just realise this has gone way off topic!

Posted by: GMR Jun 24 2009, 10:25 PM

I can only repeat what I was told. Of course if somebody hit somebody whether they are on a zebra crossing or not then that is a different matter, however, they can't take it into consideration because the victim was on a zebra crossing on private land.

Posted by: Gumbo Jun 25 2009, 08:54 AM

Grumpy old man rant coming! I am right with you on those travelators Jeff. There is one at Ikea down in Southampton and I recently got stuck behind a whole family blocking the way and the travelators there go up/down about 4 floors, I think it took about 10 mins to get in. And it is worse at airports where you have those travelators but if you get stuck behind people who don't want to walk you find people who are not on it walking past!!! People are so lazy and it is no wonder there are a lot of porkers out there.

Posted by: dannyboy Jun 25 2009, 11:58 AM

err, if you believe this, what are you doing on the travelator in the first place????

Posted by: Gumbo Jun 25 2009, 12:09 PM

Trying to move faster than normal, time is money

Posted by: Bill1 Jun 25 2009, 01:10 PM

It'll only lead to you joining annoying queues at the understaffed tills quicker

Posted by: Gumbo Jun 25 2009, 01:34 PM

TBH I don't care if people don't want to use their legs on the travelators BUT to block them so other people don't have that option is just rude IMO.

I think the reason they stop trolleys moving on them (the ones on inclines not the airport ones) are for good old health and safety reasons.

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Jun 25 2009, 02:03 PM

See what happens to 'slack jawed yokels' who stand on the wrong side of the escalators during the peak hours at any Underground station in London

Posted by: JeffG Jun 25 2009, 02:13 PM

Precisely. Obviously these people have not been on the LU training course like the rest of us.

Posted by: hamster Jun 26 2009, 05:27 PM

I only found this out last week. I got an e-mail back from the Council after I had asked them to get the land owner at Newbury Retail Park to re-do the markings on the zebra at the entrance.

I was told the same, that as the zebra is on private property it has no legal standing and also does not require belisha beacons......They had however referred my comment and other areas of faded road markings for the owner to look at.

My concern is that this 'point of law' is not well known at all, I cannot recall it being in the Highway code -correct me if I am wrong.

I did think that this was a bit mad though as retailers are required to eliminate trip hazards, provide disabled access etc etc, yet the retail parks/ supermarkets are not required to establish robust safe pedestrian routes through traffic infested car parks.
In fairness the major supermarkets do put a lot of effort on safe pedestrian routes including signs and belisha beacons (I know as the company I work for has installed many for different Tesco's and other chains).

I suppose its the same old thing, when someone dies on a faded, un-signed, un-lit crossing on private land the powers that be will react to it.

Posted by: Iommi Jun 26 2009, 05:48 PM

This is it, the land owner, if they permit access by the general public, have a duty of care. It seems the various signs and road markings are effectively advisory.

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Jun 26 2009, 06:26 PM

You can bet their next of kin will, with suitable legal representation.....

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Jun 27 2009, 08:55 AM

The top deck of the car park is closed off today and the travelators are not working. Ah well, it was good while it lasted!

Posted by: Darren Jun 27 2009, 11:46 AM

I bet that will make the rest of the car park 'interesting'.

Posted by: GMR Jun 27 2009, 11:50 AM

I don't know if it is still like that but they had a few problems and were working to fix them. Hopefully it will be back in use soon.

Posted by: JeffG Jun 27 2009, 12:40 PM

It was all working again when I was there just before midday. The 'up' was already working and they got the down travelator working again just as I arrived.

Posted by: GMR Jun 27 2009, 01:43 PM

I just cycled pass it and they've got cars on the top rack. Obviously they've worked fast to get it going, all credit to them.

Posted by: Bill1 Jun 27 2009, 09:03 PM

They did last weekend.

Posted by: GMR Jun 28 2009, 02:25 PM

I see that Sainsbury’s has built even more on to their car park extension. There is even more car parking space than there originally was.

http://img198.imageshack.us/i/s4200229.jpg/


http://img14.imageshack.us/i/s4200230.jpg/

Posted by: blackdog Jul 11 2009, 09:11 AM

I guess that was the idea - make the store 50% bigger and increase the car parking to cope with the extra customers. There will be 150-200 more spaces than before.

Posted by: GMR Jul 11 2009, 10:39 AM

I was talking to somebody in Sainsbury's and they told me that eventually it will be bigger than Tesco's at Pinchington lane.

Posted by: Bill1 Jul 11 2009, 11:05 AM

263 I believe.

Trouble is no petrol station at present and there aren't many alternatives these days.

Cue massive queues at Tescos etc.

Posted by: Darren Jul 11 2009, 11:14 AM

No queues at 4AM

I've gone off Tesco petrol recently. Filled up there a few weeks ago and within a few miles, hesitating, poor acceleration and very lumpy. Filled up at Sainsbury's and again, within a few miles, all was back to normal. Luckily I go past Calcot regularly.

Posted by: Iommi Jul 11 2009, 11:59 AM

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Jul 11 2009, 04:36 PM

Going slightly off topic here but a friend of mine trained as an industrial chemist before opening a garage in North Wales some years ago. He advises to always steer clear of supermarket petrol as it is basic at best and doesn't compare with quality stuff like Shell or BP hence I try not to use Tesco or Sainsbury's petrol. Is there anything in what he says, I wonder?

Posted by: Bill1 Jul 11 2009, 06:37 PM

We used the station opposite Park House today, queued about 5 minutes only a few p per litre more than supermarkets.

Posted by: Iommi Jul 11 2009, 11:51 PM

I have known them to be the same price as Tesco.

Posted by: Bill1 Jul 12 2009, 09:09 AM

Was surprised that air cost 20p for 2 minutes though!

Posted by: GMR Jul 12 2009, 10:40 AM

A near incident at Sainsbury's car tower/ park today; one car speeding up the ramp almost hit another car. They should be going up those ramps at a slow speed.

Posted by: Branston Pickle Jul 12 2009, 02:48 PM

I thought there were massive bright yellow kerbs separating the up and down lanes?

Posted by: GMR Jul 12 2009, 02:55 PM

There is; but it doesn't stop some drivers behaving badly.

Posted by: Bill1 Jul 12 2009, 05:53 PM

Were they both going in the same direction?

Posted by: Bill1 Jul 13 2009, 06:58 PM

Well?

I'm genuinely interested, especially after my Zebra Crossing thread.

Posted by: Bill1 Jul 14 2009, 12:30 PM

Come on GMR tell me what I want to know please.

Posted by: GMR Jul 14 2009, 01:36 PM

It was one car behind another; i.e. the car behind hit the car in front.

Posted by: scott Jul 14 2009, 03:28 PM

Sorry to drag this further O/T, but your friend is sadly wrong imho. my dad used to work for the largest petrochemical company in the world, they supplied over 50% of the UK petrol at one time. the fuel is basically the same, they just use a slightly different additive pack in the blending, but ultimatley it all comes from the same place.

Now the point in hand may be down to the pumping station itself, did the above tesco have water in their tanks, how often are the pumps and tanks cleaned? one thing you will find is the likes of BP/Shell etc etc will more than likely carry out these tasks more often.


BTT, Yay! the new car park is open!

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Jul 14 2009, 03:45 PM

OK Scott - thanks for your answer. Let's hope no dust gets in Sainsburys tanks during the demolition work going on there at the mo!

Posted by: nicster09 Jul 14 2009, 03:58 PM

They are actually installing new tanks, due to government guidelines, all petrol stations have to be done in the next 6 months, that's why the Shell garage is closed for works as well, i know this as i work at Sainsbury's.

Posted by: Hugh Saskin Jul 14 2009, 04:20 PM

Oh dear, never knew that - let's hope there's not another 'petrol crisis' as a result and I think I can guess who ends up paying for all the new tanks....

Posted by: Bill1 Jul 14 2009, 08:14 PM

That is worrying, how can that happen? Were they ascending or descending?