Our town has been dug up

[obi_waynne]

There are 10 roadworks in operation.

From my house a 5 minute drive now takes 14 minutes through diversions and temporary traffic lights!

Is this just our town.

 

[old-git]

Would you prefer the work not to be done?

 

[T9 man]

I was meant to go to a SAAB car meeting on Saturday at the Ace Café in North London. They close the underpass at Fore St on the weekends now, 80 minutes of queuing on the A406 and I turned around and went back home.

 

[davalav]

I hate roadworks. Round here, they never seem to do it to the roads that actually need work done!

 

[stamford]

I always find they close a road for ages then when you think it has been completed another team with another agenda turn up! We had a road closed for about a week to replace a water main. Then a week later we had to endure groundworkers replacing the street lamps. So we had the drilling truck taking up room. Why couldn't they plan it at the same time?

 

[old-git]

I always find they close a road for ages then when you think it has been completed another team with another agenda turn up! We had a road closed for about a week to replace a water main. Then a week later we had to endure groundworkers replacing the street lamps. So we had the drilling truck taking up room. Why couldn't they plan it at the same time?

If only life was that easy. It may not look like it, but councils do liaise with the utility companies prior to any ground works for two reasons. To find out what services are in the location and if they are planning any works so they can be coordinated. If they say they have no works planned they can't commence any new works for 12 months. Unfortunately, 'emergency' works are exempt. The definition of emergency works is very vague.

Coordinating works is advantageous as it cuts road closure and diversion costs. However, it is rare that two companies can work in the same location at the same time due to reasonable health and safety issues. The work can follow on straight after the first contractor has finished, but delays can cause headaches for the following on contractor who has his own programmed workload to organise.

 

[old-git]

I hate roadworks. Round here, they never seem to do it to the roads that actually need work done!

What do you mean?

 

[obi_waynne]

Would you prefer the work not to be done?

It's the silly planning. 3 parallel arterial roads are cut off forcing me to divert right across town to use the 4th!

Why cut of parallel roads, surely it makes no sense, the traffic is in chaos with everyone using the one remaining arterial road. And even that has traffic lights.

 

[old-git]

Without knowing the area, the utilities involved or the works being undertaken, I can't give you a possible rationale.

 

[obi_waynne]

They just do it to personally wind me up! I'm positive and no I am rational and don't have a persecution complex!

 

[old-git]

Well, we used to do that to everyone it seems