John Harrington Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Does anyone else find it odd that so many roadworks are being carried out around the city at the moment?I know the Council has just been bailed out to the tune of millions by Central Government allowing resurfacing works (which perversely instead of embarrassed about the Cabinet are taking all credit for) but there seems to be literally dozens of other road works (with little indication as to what they are for). Whitecross Rd this week has been a nightmare, especially eastbound, which is unusual. I found the culprit not far from the Tesco Express/Old Buckingham Pub.Can anyone tell me why the lights are still there? The only obvious reason is a stretch of tarmac 2 foot a foot (ish), see photo. I lifted the cone, nothing dramatic lurking under it. The paint is bone dry and the tarmac is solid (and will only benefit from impaction). So what is going on. Is there an agenda to deliberately screw up traffic in Hereford further than it already was? Quote
twowheelsgood Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 The council claim some of the work has been delayed until this week - half term - to minimise inconvenience ... Of course, by doing so, they are acknowledging Hereford's traffic issues are dramatically increased by the school runs during term times, something that a by-pass will have no effect on at all. Quote
John Harrington Posted October 31, 2014 Author Report Posted October 31, 2014 Can't upload the photos twowheels, Col will hopefully have a look at that for me and you will how ridiculous the scene looks. Especially when you consider the tremendous cost of time and the frustration it's causing us all. Quote
twowheelsgood Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Yes, ridiculous is the word for the City's traffic - just this afternoon I've driven 200 miles back from a break up north, in Friday afternoon motorway traffic, yet the only delay was on Aylestone Hill, where nothing was moving at all!! To add insult to injury, they've squeezed in a 'cycle path' as well by slapping on some white lines whilst I've been away! Of course this just stops as it arrives at the roundabout - I do wish this council would stop wasting our money so they can tick a box and say another mile of cycle path formed. Quote
dippyhippy Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 We drove back from North Wales, and didn't encounter any problems at all.......until we got to Whitecross Road! Ridiculous situation to travel all that way, then when your house is in sight, you can't get to it! I couldn't believe how bad the traffic was earlier......it was queued up right down to Steels roundabout, and as John says, all that chaos for a couple of cones, and a patch of tarmac! There was less messing around when they resurfaced a large proportion of the road a couple of months ago!! So many drivers using the very narrow side streets, as a "short cut" to try to avoid sitting in it, and some of them driving at ridiculous speeds in a confined, residential area. You would think folk would know better. Quote
John Harrington Posted October 31, 2014 Author Report Posted October 31, 2014 You are on the ball as ever Col! Thanks for the quick upload. Unfortunately, looking at the photos now makes me angry again And there was nothing under the cone but dry fresh tarmac and dry yellow paint. Quote
John Harrington Posted October 31, 2014 Author Report Posted October 31, 2014 There are a few exec officers, consultants and hangers on who think they are cleverer than the populace. Your time of reckoning is coming. Quote
dippyhippy Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Oh those photos really do show these "roadworks" in all their glory! It is pathetic that something like this can cause gridlock. Quote
dippyhippy Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Completely off topic, and I do apologise, but in the picture showing the side view of Woody's Angling, the old advertising board has been taken down revealing a beautiful old painted sign for a butchers! It's really quite lovely! I hope it doesn't get covered up again. Quote
hillbilly Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Just a thought (& I might be wrong..) but perhaps they are waiting for the patch to go off before they can remove the lights? Quote
dippyhippy Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Hi Hillbilly!! Is that a technical term?? You'll need to explain that one to me I'm afraid! Quote
hillbilly Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Evening Dippy! From what I gather, depending on the chemical composition of the Tarmac, it can take variable amounts of time before it hardens (goes off) enough to drive on. So I just wonder if that's the case here. If it's driven on before it's ready the Tarmac is just pushed out of the hole. Time for wine?! Quote
dippyhippy Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 It's Friday evening.......of course it's time for wine! (And thanks for the explanation!) Quote
John Harrington Posted October 31, 2014 Author Report Posted October 31, 2014 That's possible hillbilly but my mate and fellow driver, who used to lay tarmac said it was dry and if anything needed compacted before it became too brittle. I accept the men who did this may have good reason to protect it (over what I presume will be at least ghe weekend) but I just really doubt it's as intelligent as we might hope! dippy, the side of the wall is gorgeous. Is the colour in the brick on these Victorian and Edwardian brick wall signs? Is that why they survive rendering and later stripping back of the render? I don't expect you to know dippy (several choc donuts worth of red wine warming you up and self confessed non techie) but someone else might know? Quote
Roger Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Temporary lights/Multiple cones/Signs to protect what is a completed 2 foot hole ... which is accompanied by about 3 leaves ... Crazy ... Reminds me of the gas hole by Tesco a couple of years back ... Whole City stood still for days over a 2 ft. hole in the wrong place ... Quote
dippyhippy Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 I have no clue John! It was a large hoarding that had covered it, and there does appear to be a strip of colour missing from where one of the struts was fixed to the wall, which is why I had thought it was painted. I could pop in and ask Woody.....it's his building, so he may know! He could also put me out of my misery and tell me if it's going to remain on view!! Now.......back to the red wine, and toblerone! Quote
twowheelsgood Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 It could have been protected by a steel plate sitting over the top, no lights needed. It also begs the question - why have they dug up brand new tarmac? It's just plain bonkers! Quote
Colin James Posted November 1, 2014 Report Posted November 1, 2014 There is absolutely no need for these traffic lights to be in operation looking at these photographs. Quote
Ubique Posted November 1, 2014 Report Posted November 1, 2014 Guess what , they are still there - wondering , just wondering if they , the hole diggers , are coming back on Monday to finish off the job and to save money on the removal and re installing the traffic lights "they " decided to leave them in situ. Must be cheaper to hire over the weekend - similar to Car Hire Companies. Not right but do they care ! I know nothing but common sense would dictate that the payers of the Bill , the Council / BB would have drawn up a Contract or similar stating , I hope , that work should only be carried out during certain times and when not required the traffic lights must be removed. Quote
John Harrington Posted November 1, 2014 Author Report Posted November 1, 2014 Don't start me off again Col! I think one of the problems encountered when we get frustrated by this is a lack of accountability.It would be nice to know and might help alieviate the near murderous frustration we feel after sitting in traffic for hours if we knew at least: 1. Why this road was dug up (after being so freshly laid) and why the road was still closed. 2. Who carried the work out. 3. Who in the Council co-ordinates or is kept informed of these works (even when, which is always these days, a private contractor is employed). Lack of accountability allows for a tremendous slide of responsibility and quality of works. Lack of accountability means that, when asked why works are being carried out and why things are not done at times likely to cause less frustration and distribution, Cllrs can throw their hands up and say 'I don't know' (quite legitimately on most occasions), the Council can say 'our partners at Jarvis/Amey/Balfour Beatty' are carrying out the works so ask them (which they said last time I asked) and the private contractors, when you ring them, can give you the mobile of a works manager which then always goes to answer phone! In an ideal world, after a jam session like this, where our blood vessels nearly burst and we are reduced to tears of frustration on a Friday evening,there should literally be a whipping boy (ex-cabinet member looking for a job post May 2015 perhaps) employed by the council that we can take out onto a playing field (full of tall grass and nettles as per norm), strip to their underwear and chase around the park, whipping him with our switches or bunches of nestle clusters (and shouting in uncontrollable and rising unexpected animal delight) util the squeal of the pink welted ex-cabinet member reaches just the right degree of contrition to make us feel we have achieved satisfaction! Quote
John Harrington Posted November 1, 2014 Author Report Posted November 1, 2014 I agree Ubique and also, as twowheels said, why not an iron sheet instead of roadworks, if the new tiny section did need protecting? As I said it is almost as if the Cabinet want to make our traffic congestion even worse. Quote
ragwert Posted November 1, 2014 Report Posted November 1, 2014 Just been down Venns Lane,makes a difference not to be shaken to death :-).On another note our traffic light lover has had their own way again as the lights at the College Road/ Old School Lane/Venns Lane jctn have be replaced with new ones.Why the hell they did not put two mini roundabouts in here to help the motorists coming from Old School Lane into College Road is beyond me. Quote
John Harrington Posted November 1, 2014 Author Report Posted November 1, 2014 Absolutely ragwert. Venns Lane is much better but why not sort that junction out once and for all with some sort of roundabout at the same time!? I am cynical by nature but I still think it's likely a lot to do with the fact that roundabout don't need maintenance like traffic lights do. When we asked the Highways Agency to look at removing lights on a junction they sent their 'agents' in the area to assess this. He was an Amey employee. He reported back the lights must be kept. I asked the Highways Agency who puts in and maintains the traffic lights on their patch of road through Hereford. No prizes for the answer. Amey and the same manager they sent down to look at removing them! No one in that position is going to advise removing light when that contract is worth hundreds of thousands to them. Quote
dippyhippy Posted November 3, 2014 Report Posted November 3, 2014 Monday 3rd November........they are still there! Traffic lights, cones and chaos! But at least that little patch of tarmac is being well protected! Has anybody heard when they will go? Quote
John Harrington Posted November 4, 2014 Author Report Posted November 4, 2014 They still there dippy? Quote
Cambo Posted November 4, 2014 Report Posted November 4, 2014 No John they have finally removed them! Quote
dippyhippy Posted November 4, 2014 Report Posted November 4, 2014 Evening John! Cambo s quite right - they have finally gone! But......... A rather large hole has now appeared at the bottom of Ryeland Street.......complete with traffic lights! Avoid it like the plague! Quote
John Harrington Posted November 4, 2014 Author Report Posted November 4, 2014 Cheers guys. Apparently it was the National Grid but no explanation for why the lights were left up. I think I need to find out which contractor actually did the work. The Council really should have some sort of software which allows them to schedule their own works and requests or notification of works from third parties. Unacceptable that these quite small works on occasion are causing such traffic disruption. Quote
dippyhippy Posted November 4, 2014 Report Posted November 4, 2014 Gosh John! That sounds like a very sensible solution.........hold that though 'til May, when hopefully good old common sense will get a bit more of a say around these parts! Quote
twowheelsgood Posted November 4, 2014 Report Posted November 4, 2014 Cheers guys. Apparently it was the National Grid but no explanation for why the lights were left up. I think I need to find out which contractor actually did the work. The Council really should have some sort of software which allows them to schedule their own works and requests or notification of works from third parties. Unacceptable that these quite small works on occasion are causing such traffic disruption. I believe Amey now have the contract for the utilities. Oh, the irony. Little or no liaison with the Council is the norm, indeed they have the authority to dig up the roads and pavements when and wherever they like. Quote
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