The road is due to be closed on moving day will they allow removals access?
Posted by Freya7992@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 39 comments
Hi there,
We are due to move house shortly and have just had notification that the road leading to the road the house is on will be shut for a week starting in moving day. This is the only way to access the road, there is no alternative access point.
Will they have to allow us access and the removals vans access during this road closure?
Is there anything we can do to make it run smoothly for the removals company and avoid issues on the day?
Thanks- as if moving house wasn’t logistically difficult enough!
Note to add- tried contacting the company but no luck emails bounce, contact on socials are turned to off etc
Urbanyeti0@reddit
That really depends on what they’re doing with the road closure, we can’t answer that
Freya7992@reddit (OP)
Thank you it’s “surface dressing” is that makes a difference
SoggyWotsits@reddit
Spraying hot tar and scattering grit on it. Won’t be ideal for the road workers or removal people. I’d be more worried that couldn’t get hold of the company entrusted with your worldly goods. Don’t they have a phone number?
Over-Language2599@reddit
I think that's the roadworks company they can't get hold of. At least I hope so.
Stunning-Pudding-514@reddit
When they do resurfacing here in Brum, the actual road is usually closed from around 8am to 3:30 ish and then we can park there again until the same times again the next day. If you have no luck with the contractors, try the council as they will more than likely need to issue road closure permits.
Still-BangingYourMum@reddit
Thats not as bad as you may think. All they do is grind out around 3 to5 cos from the surface, and then later, add the new replacement layer and then tarmac. You could be lucky, since we don't know what road end they are starting from and we don't know your house location or length of road, you could score a few hours before the road crew get to your section of road.
sailingdownstairs@reddit
Oof, that's difficult, driving a heavy van/lorry over a road they're trying to resurface definitely sounds like it could cause real issues 🫤
Freya7992@reddit (OP)
Nightmare, I’m not really sure what the alternative is, we have to move that day, it’s contractually set so surely they will have to let us in…. Hopefully
ben_jamin_h@reddit
Your moving company might be able to load up the night before and then deliver on the morning of. Worth an ask.
yolo_snail@reddit
Honestly, that's what I'd do anyway.
No fucking way would I be doing it all in one day, even if it costs a few hundred quid extra, the house would be empty the day before.
sailingdownstairs@reddit
Hopefully you can talk to the moving company and get it done as early in the day as possible?
Freya7992@reddit (OP)
Yes I think will plan to meet them there before the Closure and then hopefully they can escape/ leave once it opens. What a logistical nightmare
sailingdownstairs@reddit
I'm sorry for you, it sounds very stressful! If you're there early you can also try to talk to the actual workers on site, they might be able to help by doing your end of the road last or something like that.
Freya7992@reddit (OP)
Thank you, fingers crossed! Our road is in the middle of the road they are re surfacing, so hopefully they will do a small section one end and we can reach our road from the other end of the road… hopefully!
IHateMozzies123@reddit
Are you in Berkshire?
EUskeptik@reddit
Shouldn’t you be asking the highway authority rather than Reddit? 🧐
-##-
Silhouette_Sneezes@reddit
It might be worth asking if you can move completion up a day or two based on this.
TheShakyHandsMan@reddit
There’s sometimes financial penalties for delaying completion especially if it’s a long change. It could get expensive
Silhouette_Sneezes@reddit
I was thinking ask for a day or two earlier rather than later. But yes, either way moving is an absolute nightmare.
Freya7992@reddit (OP)
Yes sadly this isn’t an option
TellMeManyStories@reddit
Sometimes you can agree to a corner of a garage or something to dump all the boxes wither earlier or later.
You will have far more luck arranging direct with the other side than through estate agents and solicitors.
Mrthingymabob@reddit
Have you checked on https://one.network/public to see who is doing the work? There should be permit/work reference numbers you can use to contact the council?
Freya7992@reddit (OP)
Tried to contact the council today, all emails and contact points set to not recieve any mail, will try and call them tomorrow
JBEqualizer@reddit
That's because it's a Sunday. Outside of emergencies, most council offices are closed at weekends. You should be fine tomorrow.
When roads are closed for resurfacing, they tend to allow access for people living there but only the council can give you a yes/no answer about that.
shutupandtakemybtc@reddit
Message your local councillor if you haven't already. Say you need to sort urgently. I've had plenty of success this way
talkingtruth92@reddit
you'd normally allow access, contact the local authority and find out who the contractor is, ask them in advance.
Mummifiedsu@reddit
We had something similar and had to pack the day before then they held it in storage for a few weeks and we had to stay in a hotel. Really annoying and expensive!
chocolateybiscuit81@reddit
Is moving day on a Friday? If it is and you’re arriving after 3 then the road crew will most probably be packed up and gone. If not, just have a word with them.
aabbcc28@reddit
Hi, I work in road surfacing.
If it’s surface dressing then that’s the repair where they spray the black sticky stuff and then spread loose stones. It’s quite a fast moving repair method so I imagine there will be a very small window where you won’t be allowed through.
Especially if the road is one way in, one way out, you have to maintain access for emergency vehicles for example.
Despite all the negative press they get they want to help out as much as they can so yes speak with them and get the finer details when you can.
Contacting your local authority will be able to help.
DIY_at_the_Griffs@reddit
If you’re moving out, speak with your removals firm and get them to load up the day before. It would be nice to inform the new owners too so they can make arrangements.
If you’re moving in, maybe pack essentials in a suitcase and get furniture moved into storage for a week.
TedBurns-3@reddit
I doubt it if they're shutting it, but depends what it is for, you're a little vague on details. If they can I'm sure they will try, if they can't then they can't
Dimac99@reddit
Quite often I see them rip up the whole road, but only actually resurface one side at a time. They may be unable to accommodate a full size giant removals van, but let you through with smaller ones? Definitely get on to the council for contact details though, they must have them for their own contractor.
Pavements will be open so you might just have to deal with the indignity of having all your worldly possessions trundled up the street on trolleys or even (slowly) on a forklift and pallet. There will be ways and means, don't panic too much. But if it comes to that, I'd tip the removal guys extra!
GlitchingGecko@reddit
worst case scenario, change the truck to the day before and kip in a hotel overnight?
Unhappy_Clue701@reddit
Can you get the movers to empty the house the day before? Completely empty it, they take it to storage overnight, and then complete the process the next day.
OkTechnician4610@reddit
It should be set to access only & u need access.
Unhappy_Clue701@reddit
In the real world, if there’s a sodding great hole in the road, then ‘u need access’ isn’t going to make a blind bit of difference. The road is closed, and ‘u’ aren’t coming through. Same goes for when the road is covered in molten tar and they’re brushing stone chips over it. Bloody annoying for OP.
yolo_snail@reddit
I'd say there's a 0% chance they'll let you down if it's for 'surface dressing'.
That's just a cheap form of resurfacing, basically scraping off the top later of tarmac and putting down a very thin layer.
They'll likely be stripping off the top layer first thing in the morning, probably the whole street at once so they can get it all off site and then bring in the material to resurface the road.
If you can't delay, the only option is to get the removal guys in early and pay for storage.
ben_jamin_h@reddit
Call the council, they are responsible for road closure licenses and will have the details.
AutoModerator@reddit
Please help keep AskUK welcoming!
When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you may receive a ban for violating this rule.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!
Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.