Census on the Queen Alexandra Bridge

[thingamajig]

Census on the Queen Alexandra Bridge

What on earth is going on?
Its took a hour to get from Millfield to Town End Farm this afternoon.
On Southwick side of the Queen Alexandra Bridge heading north they are trying to give you a census form to fill in.
On the Pallion side heading south they are doing the same.

They are also dishing them out opposite Wear View Estate on Washington Road.

The traffic is horrendous.

[blockheed]

I came over the Queen Alexandra Bridge from south to north and there are signs saying there is a census going on and take a card. Also stop if requested.

A young lass tried to offer me a card on the Southwick end of the bridge and I looked away and drove on.

However, on Washington Road I tried to do the same. This time I pointed to my watch and was going to drive on but a fat copper put his hand out to stop me. Well, I had to stop didn't I otherwise they would have put the blue lights on and their sirens and caught me. They would have done me for not stopping when requested by the police.

I wound down the window and explained it took me a half hour to get from the Alexandra Bridge to here and he said I "must" take a census card. I told him I didn't want one and he repeated that I MUST take a census card. I started to wind up the window and he managed to throw the census card on my lap.

So, the police were aiding and abetting the census people and are partially responsible for causing havoc on the roads in Sunderland today. Since when was it compulsory to take a card from the census people? Why did the policeman tell me I must take a card? Why did he throw one in my car when I refused one?

The police are not the census people. The police are only there to prevent breach of the peace which they know would happen because people were sick of the delays. The copper who threw a card into my car is guilty of assault and trespass on private property. I would even say that by stopping me for refusing to take a census card of the lass dishing them out that he was acting unlawfully. My wishes should have been paramount. I destroyed the census card without even looking at it.

Fat lot of good that did by the fat controlling policeman that used his "powers" to stop me - what a complete plonka!

[Rat Scabies]

My census card accidentally flew out the window on Washington Road. Looks like loads of others did in that area too

[Nockya]

My census card accidentally flew out the window on Washington Road. Looks like loads of others did in that area too

There was loads there when I passed too

[cam]

There were police with all the Census people.
Obviously these police need to be paid for.
That would have been more expensive than employing other workers surely?
All what was needed was some form of traffic calming measures which others do all the time and that would have been a cheaper option.
Did the police need to be there and if so why?

[Jackal]

Every single person seemed to be affected by this silly exercise.
How can the council, police and census people justify a deliberate roadblock on the Wearmouth Bridge and the Alexandra Bridges?
Traffic on these two main arteries through Sunderland was slowed down by a census that could have been conducted in a better way. They could have delivered a census card to all the residents in Sunderland for instance.
Even if you tried to avoid the chaos caused by these people and used the A19 Hylton Bridge you still hit them on other roads heading into Sunderland.
What's worse, I heard on the radio this morning that if people didn't fill in these census cards and send them in the whole thing may need to be repeated!

How many people were late for work and appointments etc?

https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/tra ... -1-7476072
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/no ... y-10119848

[Arny]

Oh man, yesterday I was fuming. I was caught in the traffic a few times while trying to cross the river. Haway man Sunderland council what happened yesterday wasn't necessary.

[Jools]

Stressful day was it lol

[thingamajig]

Stressful day was it lol

Understatement of the year.

[Trish]

They must have just targeted the people on the road on this one day. What about if these people are not from Sunderland and are just passing through and they give their opinions? They may not be giving the information relevant to the area.

Why were the residents who are affected by the new road system asked. They could have posted to me a form to fill in and at least my voice would have been heard.