Can roadworks go on forever?
Discussion
I mentioned in April the amount of roadworks that were around at the time and it was broadly agreed it was to spend the year end budget. But this is something different I have a problem with, there is a road not too far from me about 2.5 miles long, its a busy A road that connects two towns, for one of the towns its the only road out unless you want a 30 mile detour across country.
I've lived in this area now for 12 years and this road has been dug up with traffic lights at least once a month, every month for the last 12 years I have lived there. That's 12 sets of roadworks per year for over a decade, they cause about an hours delay in the morning and evening rush hour every time they are there. Most of the time it seems to be Electricity Northwest that are digging it up. I wouldn't mind but although there is the odd factory/unit along the road its mostly fields each side.
Is there not a time where the council or highways or whoever is responsible gets to say enough is enough or is it just tough because its for the greater good. It seems to go round in cycles, the road gets dug up multiple times in various places, turns into an undriveable mess, then it gets resurfaced with more roadworks and then it all gets dug up again. I think its been resurfaced 3 times in the last decade. If its just tough then it will go on forever, if its been dug up constantly for 12 years or more I doubt it will come to an end any time soon.
I've lived in this area now for 12 years and this road has been dug up with traffic lights at least once a month, every month for the last 12 years I have lived there. That's 12 sets of roadworks per year for over a decade, they cause about an hours delay in the morning and evening rush hour every time they are there. Most of the time it seems to be Electricity Northwest that are digging it up. I wouldn't mind but although there is the odd factory/unit along the road its mostly fields each side.
Is there not a time where the council or highways or whoever is responsible gets to say enough is enough or is it just tough because its for the greater good. It seems to go round in cycles, the road gets dug up multiple times in various places, turns into an undriveable mess, then it gets resurfaced with more roadworks and then it all gets dug up again. I think its been resurfaced 3 times in the last decade. If its just tough then it will go on forever, if its been dug up constantly for 12 years or more I doubt it will come to an end any time soon.
Probably needs a full reconstruction - but that will be several months of full closure and the resulting chaos that will ensue. Sounds like they're doing it piecemeal so they can at least keep it open, until the political will is found to "bite the bullet" and close it.
Or it collapses completely in the meantime...
Or it collapses completely in the meantime...
Sylvias_Father said:
Probably needs a full reconstruction - but that will be several months of full closure and the resulting chaos that will ensue. Sounds like they're doing it piecemeal so they can at least keep it open, until the political will is found to "bite the bullet" and close it.
Or it collapses completely in the meantime...
We live near a major A road and that has often got closures but normally over night for drainage works and pruning etc.Or it collapses completely in the meantime...
So I suspect any quieter roads would be done during the day to try and save on costs.
Near me, a local but very busy road bridge traverses a major dual carriageway. The bridge was damaged by an over-height load underneath and the bridge was closed. This happened almost coincidently with the first Covid lockdown on 23 March 2020. Subsequently it reopened as a single lane controlled by temporary traffic lights. This obstruction delays thousands of motorists every day.
Move forward by 3 years 3 months and the single lane with 'temporary' traffic lights is still delaying motorists. Simply does not seem to matter. Our road network and the authorities who 'manage' them are a joke
Move forward by 3 years 3 months and the single lane with 'temporary' traffic lights is still delaying motorists. Simply does not seem to matter. Our road network and the authorities who 'manage' them are a joke
bigothunter said:
Near me, a local but very busy road bridge traverses a major dual carriageway. The bridge was damaged by an over-height load underneath and the bridge was closed. This happened almost coincidently with the first Covid lockdown on 23 March 2020. Subsequently it reopened as a single lane controlled by temporary traffic lights. This obstruction delays thousands of motorists every day.
Move forward by 3 years 3 months and the single lane with 'temporary' traffic lights is still delaying motorists. Simply does not seem to matter. Our road network and the authorities who 'manage' them are a joke
Ring the councillors and anyone else you can. They might not even know about the problem and need a kick up the arse.Move forward by 3 years 3 months and the single lane with 'temporary' traffic lights is still delaying motorists. Simply does not seem to matter. Our road network and the authorities who 'manage' them are a joke
Driver101 said:
They have been repairing the roads in 5 minutes around here. Cheap nasty surface dressing everywhere.
Same near me. This was done about 4 weeks ago on the main route through our village. It's breaking up already.But for long-running roadworks, nothing beats the M6 between junctions 4 and 10. I can't recall a period longer than 12 months in the last 20 years where there haven't been works of some sort on that section.
QBee said:
And then there's replacing miles of central barrier on the A1.
The work happens overnight.
The 40 mph speed limit stays put 24/365. I would say 24/7, but it has lasted a lot longer than a week.
`The work happens overnight.
The 40 mph speed limit stays put 24/365. I would say 24/7, but it has lasted a lot longer than a week.
Because there is no priority placed on keeping traffic flowing. Culturally inhibiting traffic movement is favored today. More incentive to go by train.
Was not that way when road transport mattered.
bigothunter said:
QBee said:
And then there's replacing miles of central barrier on the A1.
The work happens overnight.
The 40 mph speed limit stays put 24/365. I would say 24/7, but it has lasted a lot longer than a week.
`The work happens overnight.
The 40 mph speed limit stays put 24/365. I would say 24/7, but it has lasted a lot longer than a week.
Because there is no priority placed on keeping traffic flowing. Culturally inhibiting traffic movement is favored today. More incentive to go by train.
Was not that way when road transport mattered.
Last time I used it it took 143 minutes thanks to being struck by lightning 10 miles after we departed.
Mr Miata said:
I once heard a conspiracy theory thats it’s cheaper to have thousands of cones out on the roads than to store them all in a warehouse.
Makes sense, as it financially costs nothing to leave a cone on a road for x weeks.
And you believed it?Makes sense, as it financially costs nothing to leave a cone on a road for x weeks.
If so there's no hope for you!
QBee said:
Train from me to London takes 73 minutes (130 miles).
Last time I used it it took 143 minutes thanks to being struck by lightning 10 miles after we departed.
So on a bad day, the train was as slow as a car (55 mph average). On a normal day, the train saves over an hour.Last time I used it it took 143 minutes thanks to being struck by lightning 10 miles after we departed.
Clear advantage to travelling by train. The policy works.
bigothunter said:
QBee said:
Train from me to London takes 73 minutes (130 miles).
Last time I used it it took 143 minutes thanks to being struck by lightning 10 miles after we departed.
So on a bad day, the train was as slow as a car (55 mph average). On a normal day, the train saves over an hour.Last time I used it it took 143 minutes thanks to being struck by lightning 10 miles after we departed.
Clear advantage to travelling by train. The policy works.
The car is a 4 wheeled leper in London these days, so cannot be relied upon for getting around the metrollops.
And of course it works if someone else is paying, thanks to the time saved.
For two to four adults the maths heads the other way, if all travelling together.
I have never understod why trains are so expensive in this country.
But we are digressing from never ending roadworks.
GreatGranny said:
Mr Miata said:
I once heard a conspiracy theory thats it’s cheaper to have thousands of cones out on the roads than to store them all in a warehouse.
Makes sense, as it financially costs nothing to leave a cone on a road for x weeks.
And you believed it?Makes sense, as it financially costs nothing to leave a cone on a road for x weeks.
If so there's no hope for you!
Mr Miata said:
I once heard a conspiracy theory thats it’s cheaper to have thousands of cones out on the roads than to store them all in a warehouse.
Makes sense, as it financially costs nothing to leave a cone on a road for x weeks.
So the TM operatives are doing the maintenance on that closure for free then?Makes sense, as it financially costs nothing to leave a cone on a road for x weeks.
Also cones aren't stored in warehouses, they are stored in the depot of the traffic management company that owns them.
I think the OP is actually complaining about multiple instances of roadworks.
One instance won't go on forever but there's nothing to stop someone else starting another lot the day after the first finished.
Life isn't long enough to worry about them, just leave a bit earlier and chill out while you are queuing.
One instance won't go on forever but there's nothing to stop someone else starting another lot the day after the first finished.
Life isn't long enough to worry about them, just leave a bit earlier and chill out while you are queuing.
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