or maybe we’re just hairy arsed,beer swilling,greasy fry up eating monsters with hearts
Callum’smum:
Thank you everyone for your replies. i have read all the wonderful posts and just not had time to answer them yet but will make it my priority. I work in the gas industry - very busy at the moment as you can imagine
thank you again
having somebody who listens means the world to me
thank you
File on Four did a story similar to this last year, and although the council didnt admit responsibility, the road was resurfaced and a drain cover replaced within weeks of the accident that killed an advanced motorcyclist.
Roseanne, you could try writing to Motorcycle News, MCN. although some of the stories are sensationalism at its worse, they do take up the course for riders and families in your circumstances.
There are a lot of motorcyclists who drive trucks so your story is welcome here.
Thanks again everyone
I cannot understand why the council cannot be done for corporate manslaughter they are well aware about the problems of the roads and have been for a number of years so why do they still hide this fact. They have totally messed up over the years by not spending enough funding of the infrastructure but will not even admit to it surely making the public aware about the roads would save a few lives. But no not the government they would rather put people’s lives at risk than condemn themselves and cover up their blame by putting it on the drivers. The problem they have is they have had the money but where has it gone■■? Where does the money go which is allocated to them, road tax, speeding fines, tolls etc. My son paid his road tax he done his job but they will not do there’s. I have read in a number of council documents the easiest money to dip into is the funding that should be spent on the roads. Mr Blair my son had a fantastic education! He was a
very cleaver lad but what was the point when he lost his life on the way to college due to over spending on education and lack of funding to the roads.
The HGV driver is currently issuing procedings against the council so i cannot do anything at this point until we find out the outcome, Go David! We are both victims here and will be sticking together all the way.
Thanks for the info and i will get in touch with motorcycle news and MCN
Thanks
Callum’s mum
www.4callum.com
3 pieces of advice for this one.
Your son was riding a powered two-wheeler. Don’t neglect this in your search for answers and results. There’s some significant political minds inivolved in the transport lobby related to bikes. Try to involve them too.
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Speak to Rider Support Service (RSS). They are a FREE legal service specifically for bikers, run by bikers and specialise in bikers rights and helping them with legal claims. They may well have expertise from prior cases similar to yours. ridersupport.com
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Contact the BMF (British Motorcyclist Federation, they have people sat on all sorts of commissions, think-tanks, have lobbying expertise and of course legal minds who can lend a few ideas. IIRC they take a keen interest in issues such as road design and safety and could be just the people you need to help lend weight to your campaign. If ultimately unsuccessful in your search for personal success, they may be able to take the input and run with it to help ensure it doesn’t happen again. bmf.co.uk/home-page/index-0401.html
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Contact Motorcycle News (MCN) to run the story in the bike press. They’re part of the EMAP media group and there’s dozens of bike and car mags that can run the story too. Bikers are very aware of such dangers as manhole covers, potholes, diesel spills and are gradually making headway in getting the issues known amongst riders so they look out for the dangers, and amongst local authorities by making the point clear and embarrasing them into action. motorcyclenews.com/
PS - if contacting MPs and lobbyists, consider Lembit Opik, the lib-dem fella. He’s an avid motorcyclist and I think he is their shadow transport chappy. He may be able to help chip away.
best of luck, and my condolences too.
Thank you
i have been in touch with BMF and MCN. The Solicitor I have is fantastic the biggest issue at the moment is getting my son’s story told, he has represented me going against about five barristers and the police free of charge at my son’s inquest and basically wiped the floor with them, he is now representing the HGV driver
will keep you posted if i hear anything
thank you again
Roseanne Kay
Callum’s mum
And Lembit Opik
thanks
Roseanne
THANK YOU THANK YOU
CALLUM’S STORY IS GOING TO BE PUBLISHED!
Callum’smum:
THANK YOU THANK YOU
CALLUM’S STORY IS GOING TO BE PUBLISHED!
Thats great news.
Could you post on here the publication & date I’m sure there’ll be plenty of people on here interested in reading any atricles on this subject.
Callum’smum:
THANK YOU THANK YOU
CALLUM’S STORY IS GOING TO BE PUBLISHED!
Wonderful news for you, a major step forward, good luck and keep us posted.
Could you post on here the publication & date I’m sure there’ll be plenty of people on here interested in reading any atricles on this subject.
I’ll second that.
That’s great news Roseanne,and although not a reader of publications like MCN since God was a lad,I’m sure I’ll make an exception this time. 
Ken.
another avenue may be Richard Hammond, from BBC’s Top Gear.
They do like to grasp hold of pertinent issues affecting road safety, and he’s a biker. If he’s not able to take things forward on a top gear angle, he may be able to find a way to push on with one of his other midweek investigative shows, for example like the ones on how we treat the elderly, the UK’s drinking culture, and others too.
He also writes for major UK dailies as well as a column in MCN.
Worth asking him I’d reckon.
Yesterday MCN had a meeting with Road Safety Minister Stephen Ladyman and put my questions to him what i have been waiting for, for nearly two years.
On the 17th December i am would like to hold demonstration at the local town hall because it will be two years since my son’s accident and we have still received no answers, would anybody be interesting in coming?
or can anybody give me advice
thanks you
Callum’s mum
Hi everyone
Callum’s story will be in the MCN on the 14th december
Thank you all so much again
love
Callum’s mum
www.4callum.com
That’s great news Roseanne.
Looks like we’ll all be buying a copy then.
Ken.
Thank you Ken
yes this is certainly an issue that affects all drivers
too often the blame is put on the innocient party; anything to take the blame of road conditions. i am a member of roadpeace but the organisation is mainly against speeding and where the fault is on the driver, as we all know this is often not the case, ROAD CONDITIONS, also cause deaths as i know more than anybody and my son’s death is far from unique but proving this because roads quickly get repaired after a accident.
Roads are used everyday
But through lack of maintenance
They are showing decay
Potholes and sunken manholes
Lack of white lines,
Incompetent inspections
COST MY SON HIS LIFE
councillors see the state of our roads everyday
because it costs money they have nothing to say
if it causes a death they will try to riddle out
Hoping the truth will never get out
Trying to think of a quick and short catch phase for my campaign for better road conditions, any ideas!
Also told the police about my demonstration on the 17th december and they wished me luck; they was not aware that the council have paid out compensation but will not admit liability. it is time for this to come out! and although i cannot even express how much this is hurting me i am sure it is better for me than sitting down doing nothing
Thanks again
Roseanne Kay
Please do not take this the wrong way,but what is it you want,nothing will bring back what you have lost,I know how it is to loose someone close,truely,but once they are gone they are gone.Best wishes.
Thanks Froggy I do understand completely what you are saying but I cannot let the council forget about my son and what they have done to him! Keeping his memory alive helps me and also many other bereaved parents who start campaigning for their child.
If I get nothing else from my demonstration on the 17th in the local paper this week the council was caught off guard and quoted:
“The manhole cover had been caused to subside by deterioration of the manhole chamber beneath the cover”
This is the first time they have admitted this and hopefully they have got many people backs up with this statement:
“The council is continually seeking to improve and this is evidence by the fact that Tameside is able to successfully defend over 90 per cent of highways claims made against it”
they changed the manhole cover at the scene of the accident, treated the HGV driver as though he was in the wrong, then lost his statement, falsified evidence, lied at the inquest, documents were lost, etc, etc. How many people can afford a solicitor especially when they are told if they lose they will have Tameside’s court costs? About three barristers for Tameside were at the inquest as well as their solicitors. Luckily my solicitor offered to do Callum’s case for nothing if I did not have him then maybe Tameside would be bragging 100% of claims
Love
Callum’s mum
www.4callum
I do understand though what you are saying
■■
ive just read this topic and im sorry for you all, i ride a scooter to work and college everyday and im shocked and disheartened at the state of the roads manholes, bits of tarmac missing, state of “repaired roads” its is disgusting and shocking i am constantley being buffered all over the place. so im not surprised somebody has been killed by it i just wish the council would take some sort of action.
when they do repair the roads they either leave them with the tarmac too high or dipped never just right.
it was last year when sheffied council admitted they would be no road improvments for 200 years 
.
Well,I don’t know about other’s on this site,but I bought MCN today,and read the piece that they interviewed Roseanne for,and while not a massive story,it certainly got the point across.
But what I found to be an all to familiar story,was the expose they did on the two councils in the story above Roseanne’s,where potholes were reported to council’s,and then one acted on it,whereas the other still has to.
Bloody typical.
Ken.
Thank you Ken
Yes it is a small piece but I am so glad it put the point across and hopefully the story will get followed up if it receives feed back.
Tonight I am being interview by Channel M, but it is hitting the local news again.
About 400 yards from Callum’s accident I have been monitoring a defective manhole cover I have photographed it for two years now. The depth is 75mm. I informed the local press and they went down and took photographs, yesterday because it was mentioned in the local paper about 6 people in suits and a utility van were putting markings on the grid for repair. Fortunately the local papers have already taken photographs and measured the defect. Although Tameside have told the local papers it is not their fault it is the utilities grid and they have admitted the chamber had sunk underneath (I think they were caught off guard) it is up to them to inspect it. They told us it was inspected four months before the accident I have over 50 witnesses who say it was like that for years and why did they pay out compensation?
The coroner also criticised their system of repairs and when I cannot see improvements even on the same stretch of road and constantly hear them bragging about their wonderful services and inspection regime it is know wonder I cannot settle or even start my grieving.
It will be interesting to see what they say about this other manhole cover but again I am sure they will come up with some answer.
Thanks Ken
Love
Roseanne