Question:
By way of background I first raised this question via email with the Regeneration team on 8/2/18 who passed it to the so-called Highways Improvements team. When they failed to respond I also contacted the Executive Member for Highways & Transport and also the Leader of the Council. Despite several reminders none of these parties bothered to respond and as well as not being able to answer the question can’t name a single individual within the apparently faceless Highways Improvement team who I could chase-up in person. A visit to Shute End proved to be equally fruitless as not a single employee could be found who was working on the Market Place project; well it was a Friday.
Anyway in early February I observed that the hole caused by road works at the entrance to Peach Plaza in Rose Street had been filled in yet part of the highway was still fenced off and the temporary traffic lights with one-way working still in use. The hoardings have moved since then but at that point in time the road could have been re-opened to two-way traffic. But wasn’t. By way of an update the hoardings at the Broad Street junction have been moved forward but if the project had been properly managed the road works at this point would have been done first to free up the junction.
Clearly if the works in the square had been logically sequenced the temporary traffic lights in Rose Street could have been removed weeks ago and with this alternative westbound route opened through the town centre congestion would also have been relieved on Denmark Street, Finchampstead & Wellington Roads. Why was this not done?
Minutes:
Question
By way of background I first raised this question via email with the Regeneration team on 8/2/18 who passed it to the so-called Highways Improvements team. When they failed to respond I also contacted the Executive Member for Highways & Transport and also the Leader of the Council. Despite several reminders none of these parties bothered to respond and as well as not being able to answer the question can’t name a single individual within the apparently faceless Highways Improvement team who I could chase-up in person. A visit to Shute End proved to be equally fruitless as not a single employee could be found who was working on the Market Place project; well it was a Friday.
Anyway in early February I observed that the hole caused by road works at the entrance to Peach Plaza in Rose Street had been filled in yet part of the highway was still fenced off and the temporary traffic lights with one-way working still in use. The hoardings have moved since then but at that point in time the road could have been re-opened to two-way traffic. But wasn’t. By way of an update the hoardings at the Broad Street junction have been moved forward but if the project had been properly managed the road works at this point would have been done first to free up the junction.
Clearly if the works in the square had been logically sequenced the temporary traffic lights in Rose Street could have been removed weeks ago and with this alternative westbound route opened through the town centre congestion would also have been relieved on Denmark Street, Finchampstead and Wellington Roads. Why was this not done?
Answer
I have looked into the history of your original question from the 8th February. As you passed it onto me on the 22nd February that was my first exposure to this question. That question was, as you have frequently pointed out a very simple one which was:
“"Please explain exactly why one lane of Rose Street is still shut. When I looked earlier in the week there was a small hole with no activity in it. Is this hole necessary? Can it be filled in and two way traffic reinstated?"
That was your question.
This was sent to you on the 14th February with a clear answer which was about the hole:
“There is a small hole adjacent to the Peach Place site entrance which related to some Scottish and Southern Electric (SSE) works on Rose Street. They have advised Dawnus (our Peach Place contractors) that this work should be completed shortly at which point Dawnus will be able to put the hoardings back in place at the edge of our site and reinstate the footpath alongside our site, albeit with restricted width adjacent to the scaffolding.”
And for the question on the single lane working:
“I believe they are required due to the width restriction at the corner of Broad Street / Rose Street. The road reduces to a single lane at this point and, as it is a blind corner, cannot be managed safely with the priority traffic approach we have been able to use for the Peach Place works.”
That was sent to you on 14 February. So I am not sure why you assert you have not had an answer but am happy to put it into the public domain for anyone to read.
Supplementary Question:
You have been a bit economical with the truth on that one because the reply came from the Regeneration Team who said that I needed to speak to Highways Improvement, they were just making assumptions. I never got a reply from them or yourself or from Charlotte, so that is the first point.
Over Christmas the lights were removed purely as a political stunt to say we are doing something for you over Christmas. The road was no wider then, then it is now and it could have been opened: subsequent roadworks could have been done on the corner and it could have been opened 6-8 weeks ago. It would have relieved all of the congestion, so why was it so badly planned and are you going to get it right the next time?
Supplementary Answer:
As I said, you had an answer. The answer actually said about the Highways Improvement team, that if you wanted more information, they would provide it and there was no further communication from you whatsoever.