Lots of careful reading for District Councillors this weekend.
The West Area committee meets at Grove Wood School next Thursday.
The Central Area Committee meets at Greensward college on the 19th.
The East Area committee meets at Rochford Library on the 28th.
At each of these Area Commitees councillors will be discussing on how what the ‘localism’ budget for Highways should be spent on in the next financial year, and how this year’s schemes are proceeding. You can download the report here (it covers all the district).
For example for this year:
The A1245 Chelmsford Road – some work already carried out , some more to done between January and March. ?103,000
Ashingdon Road – Various resurfacing completed – ?105,000
Barling Road Great Wakering – Rebels Lane to Stonebridge, resurfacing completed. ?80,000.
Castle Road Rayleigh – repairs to the footway and carriageway due to begin on Jan 4th. ?208,000
Down Hall Close Rayleigh – patching of the carriageway completed – ?10,250
Puffin Pedestrian Crossing outside Rayleigh Station – notices advertising scheme to be posted after Christmas – ?100,000
Not even a mention of Essex CC Highways adopting Priory Chase and Temple Way in the future. Is this even on their radar Admin?
I narrowly averted an accident yesterday evening as I travelled back home by local taxi. I had to warn the driver about the existence of the mini-roundabout at the junction of Priory Chase and Temple Way because the snow had made it virtually invisible. I assumed that the driver knew of it’s existence but he was just about to drive straight over it which would have undoubtedy seriously damaged his car and his livlihood. As it was he had to break hard in the snow and ice and skidded becuase despite Priory Chase being a Bus route and terminus for the No 24 AND having a Primary School on ot there has been no evidence of gritting on Priory Chase. Had their been street level furniture (arrows etc) on the roundabout this wouldn’t have been an issue at all…
Still no doubt the Council will wait for a serious injury or fatality before it wakes up and addresses the situation.
Road adoption wouldn’t be part of the ‘localism budget’; it is on the radar, but I can’t judge how quickly it will arrive.
I have just forwarded your words on to Keith Hudson, who seems to be the most effective person at the moment on this. I will forward them in a minute onto Stephen Castle, as well, to see if he can assist.
Admin, I note there is an indicative budget of £200K for the entire district – just enough for a few yellow lines and may be a crossing or two. This minute budget seems out of line with the examples you quote above. Have I misunderstood or has something changed?
Do we know how our budget compares with other districts?
The should be other monies available from outside the localism budget. Things should become clearer at the meetings.
I don’t know about other districts – that’s a a good question.
Thanks. Doesn’t seem much chance of getting anything material done to address the extra traffic on any of our main roads arising from extra housing under the Core Strategy. Even if the Conservatives win the next election and fulfil their promise to scrap targets, it is clear we will get some extra housing. When and how will roads be improved (other than developer funded, site specific enhancements)?
How the taxi driver could have hit the roundabout is beyond me – there has not been one time where there have not been clear tracks in the snow indicating the best route to take. With regards to the arrows on the roundabout, what needs to be remembered, and as I have posted before – the Priory Chase/Temple Way junction is firstly not on a major thoroughfare and therefore would not warrant the expense for this type of signage. Also, this junction should have been a T junction on the basis that it is a drive way leading to their car park and not technically a road.
To his credit Cllr Hudson sent me a holding reply within 36 minutes yesterday, however the sympathetic officer reply I had today from RDC basically said that they they don’t have any salt to stretch further. What we need to do is get ECC to recognise that there is a new bus route here, hopefully I will have more news soon.
No tracks Cjav as it was snowing steadily at the time – situation exacerbated as usual by several of the street lights not working around the junction.
If this must be a mini-roundabout (without street furniture) it shouldn’t be raised it should be a simple painted circle.
Admin, it should also be noted that the traffic light filter turning right from Rawreth Lane into Priory Chase never seems to work and the traffic light filter turning left from Priory Chase into Rawreth Lane rarely works.
TWR – had an encouraging email from County Highways today re Priory Chase and gritting. Fingers crossed…
Thanks as always for your continued efforts 🙂