Nick Olliver and his son want to alter the drive at the latter’s Mont Arrive home to avoid blocking the road while reversing in to park. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0893880)

ENVIRONMENT is risking lives by not allowing alterations to a Mont Arrive driveway, according to Nick Olliver.

For eight years Mr Olliver, 64, has been battling with the department to alter the front of his son’s home.

They want to change the area so that cars reversing into the drive do not block the road and cause accidents.

‘There’s been six or seven near smashes because of people speeding round the corner,’ he said.

‘We want to get a name from the department so if there’s a fatality, we can point a finger at someone.’

Mr Olliver and his son James, 26, have applied at least six times over the years. The first plan had a second car in the drawing by the architect, but that was an error, said Mr Olliver snr. That has been the main reason why Environment has turned down the application – it does not want a second car parked there. But Mr Olliver said a second car would not fit anyway.

A department representative told them that if they sent a letter stipulating that, the plans would probably be passed – but that did not happen.

‘I’ve had many meetings with them,’ he said. ‘With the top person at planning and the top one from Traffic. If there was an accident, we would be in the wrong.’