Evri driver suspended after delivery truck gets stuck on one of Britain’s steepest streets
Evri driver suspended after delivery truck gets stuck on one of Britain’s steepest streets
Getty/Geograph
An Evri delivery driver has been suspended from work after their lorry got wedged on Britain’s steepest street.
The delivery company has confirmed that it will launch an investigation into the incident which saw the large vehicle block two streets in Bristol.
The Hermes vehicle, which has since rebranded to Evri, became wedged against the tarmac between Park Street and Vale Street.
Recovery of the lorry was underway by 5.00pm, and by 6.30pm, had been completed.
In 2019, the road was given the title of steepest in the UK by the Ordnance Survey
Geograph
Vale Street is the steepest street in the country, with an incline of 22 degrees.
The street’s gradient is so steep, that during the winter months, some drivers with cars parked on the road have tied their vehicles to lampposts to stop them from sliding down the hill.
Some residents on the street, wear studded shoes to ensure they have enough grip not to slip down the slope.
An Evri spokesperson told Bristol Live: “The safety of our people and communities around us is a top priority, the driver has been suspended while we investigate what has happened.”
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The street’s incline is so dramatic, that in Spring, it is often used for Easter egg rolling competitions.
Vale Street has also caught the attention of famous street artist Banksy, who once painted a piece at the bottom of the road.
Entitled ‘Achoo!’, the 2020 piece featured a woman sneezing out her false teeth.
The owner later decided to sell the artwork, which resulted in the entire wall being removed.
In 2019, the road was given the title of steepest in the UK by the Ordnance Survey.
In March 2021, a three-year-old girl was killed after a Hermes delivery driver reversed over her while her mum watched on in horror.
An inquest in May 2023 heard how Milliee-Ann McKellar was playing on her scooter in a cul-de-sac in Calne, Wiltshire when she was struck by a van.
The Hermes vehicle, which has since rebranded to Evri, became wedged against the tarmac between Park Street and Vale Street
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The youngster was visiting her grandmother when the Mercedes van's wheels crushed her.
Emergency services were called to the scene but Milliee-Ann was pronounced dead on their arrival.
Her mum, Tanzin Wells was sat in the front garden with her mum Glynis Smith when Sergi Tomaiaya, their usual delivery driver, arrived.
Smith said in an interview with police that courier Tomaiaya looked "knackered, drawn out and tired" as he drove past.
Tomaiaya dropped off a parcel before parking "half on and half off the pavement" and then moving to drop off three more deliveries.
The driver, who was 29 at the time, then went back to the van before reversing, killing the young girl.
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