Ideas please - road being dug up, tiny baby

[Dollywilde]

I am livid.

Our road is being resurfaced today. They started one hour ago. We live in a flat with a baby. The noise of pneumatic drills is audible from every room in the flat. I can actually feel it while sitting on the sofa right now, you can’t watch TV or anything. I just went out in my dressing gown and the guy I spoke to said they’re on the clock til 4am.

HOW is this ok? I’m here with a screaming baby, at the end of my rope, the building is shaking. Environmental health apparently aren’t picking up. What recourse do I have? We didn’t get any message about this. If we had I’d have gone to my mum’s lockdown or no. How can our council allow this?

Will be over soon you are being dramatic.

You're not being dramatic, it sounds awful. I'd think they'd be on dicey footing after 11 when a lot of the noise control rules kick in. Who are they working for?

Can you go out for a quick walk with your LO? I know it's cold but wrap up warm. At least you'd be away from the noise for a bit.

I’m so sorry OP, that’s awful - they shouldn’t be doing work overnight.

Does your council have a noise nuisance department? They might be able to advise?

@SpeccyLime

I’m so sorry OP, that’s awful - they shouldn’t be doing work overnight.

Does your council have a noise nuisance department? They might be able to advise?

sometimes they have to do work overnight so they arent disrupting traffic during the day there will have been notices somewhere

God that must be unbearable. I do think if it’s just one night you may need to just grit your teeth and bear it.

This sounds extremely annoying. Is it a very busy road? They probably see it as better to annoy a small number of residents than close the whole road and annoy/inconvenience a large number of car users. It's shocking that you hadn't had a polite warning about it though. I'd be very annoyed - I needs my sleep!

Thanks guys. Sorry I’m probably just having a moan. Have tried enviro health and they’re not picking up so I guess it’s just grin and bear it territory - baby is really refusing to go down and she’s usually great at night, I’m so angry at the council. Will see if I can attach the video..

If you go out and speak to the foreman and complain they have to stop. We had it recently and I went out straight away. They called the boss and said they had complaints and they packed up an went home. Be reasonable with them. They are also supposed to notify you in writing prior to works being carried out. If you know any neighbours, get them out there with you.

I’m sure overnight roadworks are only done in exceptional pre approved or emergency situations

Appreciate its very annoying but I don’t think you have any recourse

@NetflixWatcher are you for real?! That’s another 6 hours or so!!

Baby or no baby, I’d be furious OP. That’s you not getting any sleep tonight.

@delilahbucket

If you go out and speak to the foreman and complain they have to stop. We had it recently and I went out straight away. They called the boss and said they had complaints and they packed up an went home. Be reasonable with them. They are also supposed to notify you in writing prior to works being carried out. If you know any neighbours, get them out there with you.

I had a nice chat with them - wasn’t aggressive or anything but they said they had to unless they were instructed not to. Advised me to call environmental health who aren’t picking up

All the roads round here are always resurfaced at night, means they can do it quicker. Normally start at 9am and work to 6am latest.

You should have had a letter or something but i don't think there is anything you can do

I do sympathise - we had this and was extraordinarily noisy and shook the whole house. I doubt theirs much you can do though, it’ll be essential work.

Not a busy road usually but it’s been used a lot more during lockdown as they’ve taken the opportunity to ‘covid close’ the other side streets, those in London will be used to this

I wouldn't have thought resurfacing a road would be an exceptional or emergency circumstance though? Filling in a dangerous pothole might be but removing and laying new tarmac wouldn't be an emergency, would it?

Can you look at it that this gets it done quicker op instead of dragging it on much longer?

I expect that the drilling out will be the most noisy part, I expect that once they have finished that the rest will be more quiet.

I’m sort of making my peace with the fact there’s nothing we can do and we’re just going to have a shit night but was wondering if anyone had any bright ideas for places I can moan to!

Ooh bugger it I think that shows DH and my names. Will ask @mnhq to take it down.

It could emergency works to replace or repair gas or water mains.

It's a PITA, and I get where you are coming from. We back on to a railway line and sometimes they carry out engineering works at night.

I hope you both get some sleep tonight.

I think that the video shows it’s a massive job and must be some sort of essential work. Annoying though it is I think you have to suck it up.

Do you have a partner/husband? Could you go out for A walk with baby in the pushchair room get them off? Not ideal but it might get baby to sleep for tonight at least?

Oh that's ridiculously loud! Good grief. That's not on at all. It's a good job you're not a brain surgeon doing a 12 hour shift tomorrow. The council will be hopeless as they won't be open until Monday so I guess just keep trying environmental health, but I thought/assumed they only work office hours aswell. Is there a board up with the information of who is doing the works? They often have a contact number on them you could try but again, as it's true weekend they may not answer until Monday. This is really shit for you guys and your neighbours