Latest news with #PhilipWhitehead
BBC News
10-08-2025
- BBC News
Cameras to catch lorry drivers flouting weight limits in Wiltshire
Lorry drivers flouting weight restriction laws could soon be caught on camera and Council last month approved a plan to protect weak, weight-restricted sections of road, including bridges, by installing mobile cameras that recognise number council said it was now speaking to police to set the plan in motion. Under a successful lorry watch scheme in 2012, volunteers monitored a bridge in Bradford on Avon, reporting 1,000 drivers to Philip Whitehead, who put forward the new plan, said there were between 200 and 300 sections of road in the county that could benefit from cameras. Mr Whitehead said lorry drivers had been taking a shortcut on Spaniels Bridge Road when travelling between Devizes and Coate, which is in his ward.A bridge on the road has a 7.5 tonne weight limit, which he estimates saves drivers about four minutes, according to the Local Democracy Reporting they are dropping off or picking up goods, lorry drivers are breaking the law. Mr Whitehead said there was nowhere on the shortcut where loading or unloading could said the Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson, had assured him that officers would "act on evidence supplied to them".The previous lorry watch scheme was discontinued when lorry numbers fell from "20 or 30" a day to none, the councillor said. 'They'll stop doing it' "[The volunteers] would sit there and take photographs and write the number plates down and they were happy because they nicked somebody that day," Mr Whitehead said."New technology allows us to put one camera at one end, one camera at the other end, record the time and if they're not dropping off in the middle you give that evidence to the police and they will prosecute."When you start catching them, they'll stop doing it."Drivers caught flouting the rules face a fine and a possible three points on their licence.
South China Morning Post
21-05-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Singapore Airlines turbulence-hit passengers still suffering, 1 year on
A year after Singapore Airlines flight 321 was struck by severe turbulence, many passengers are still struggling with the trauma, as medical evaluations and efforts to secure compensation from the airline continue. The Boeing 777, en route from London to Singapore , encountered violent turbulence on May 21 , forcing an emergency diversion to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. A British man died and several other passengers among the 211 on board were injured in the incident. Inside the battered cabin, scenes of chaos unfolded. Food and luggage were scattered across the aisles, oxygen masks dangled from the ceiling and electrical panels were dislodged. Passengers sat in shock as medical teams in Bangkok treated injuries, most of which involved the head or spine . More than a dozen people required surgery. Among the injured was New Zealander Philip Whitehead, who had just returned to his seat from the toilet when the turbulence struck. 'There was no time to get the seat belt on, and I woke up on the floor in a pool of blood,' Whitehead recalled. He suffered a broken neck and back and later had to undergo spinal surgery. The interior of SQ321 after an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport on May 21 last year. Photo: Reuters 'The bone is still really fragile so I have to keep my movements really conservative so I don't damage myself,' he said.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Police helicopter and specialist GMP officers descend on van amid 100mph M60 drama
A van driver was arrested at taser-point after leading police on a 100mph chase around the M60. It came after police spotted the suspected cloned vehicle on the motorway near Bury at around 7.45pm last night (Tuesday). When the driver failed to stop, officers from the specialist Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit pursued the distinctive Fiat, which had a large reindeer decoration in the rear window. READ MORE: When Manchester Airport asked if he'd packed the suitcase himself, the answer was 'no' READ MORE: "They think, because it's council based, they can get away with it. They cannot" As the van reached speeds of up to 100mph, went the wrong way around the M60 and around roundabouts, officers pursued it into the Chatsworth Road area of Worsley. With the police helicopter flying overhead the suspect dumped the van and ran off, but was arrested at taser-point shortly afterwards. A 32-year-old man remains in custody being questioned on suspicion of dangerous driving and a separate offence of arson. Det Insp Philip Whitehead said: 'This brilliant arrest came on the back of a dangerous pursuit, which could have easily ended up causing serious personal or property damage to others on the road. "Officers utilised the appropriate resources to ensure the incident was brought to a safe conclusion and saw a suspect detained." --- Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it. That's why every week our Features and Perspectives editor Rob Williams brings you Unmissable, highlighting the best of what we do - bringing it to you directly from us. Make sure you don't miss out, and see what else we have to offer, by clicking here and signing up for MEN Daily News. And be sure to join our politics writer Jo Timan every Sunday for his essential commentary on what matters most to you in Greater Manchester each week in our newsletter Due North. You can also sign up for that here. You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to see everything we offer, including everything from breaking news to Coronation Street. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our news desk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you'll be the first to hear about it. And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@ or give us a ring on 0161 211 2920.
