Wokingham Borough has found another great way to annoy us and waste our money. The Borough is littered with yellow Diversion signs and red road closure signs everywhere you try to drive. HaveĀ they bought in bulk or are they hiring all those in at huge fees? What action do they take when they blow over or fall down?
The Lib Dem yellow Diversion signs are particularly vexatious. Because there are so many whole and partial road closures there are lots of different diversions. The signs do not tell you where that particular diversion began or where if you follow it it might take you to. I am glad I know my way around and do not have to rely onĀ them. For anyone new to the Borough, or a visitorĀ or driving in a part they do not regularly use it is a nightmare. It is so thoughtless not to put on signs what it is a diversion from and to so people can be reassured they will get back to where they want to be.
They are doing considerable damage to local traders with premises affected by the closures. Will they immediately offer them rate relief? What other actionĀ could they take as many are losing large amounts of turnover? Do they not care ? Do they not understand the community values its local traders and wants a Council which helps them, not one which tries to prevent us getting to the shops to use them.?
March 9, 2024
Sir John, Sir John. This is another reason loads of us luv ye. You’re not ‘just’ another clever so-and-so (I did say ‘so-and-so’) but a sensitive type of one. Not your fault. You care for all things: big ‘issues’ (I can’t stand the word) and the close-to-hand…It’s in the minutiae (spelling?) that we all need to look, correct? ie the actions we take – how ever grandiose and tiny..ie What consequences may come from them? Have we – with the help of colleagues – thought them through enough?…Usually not, for sure. And – let’s face it – the standards of the majority of local councils are not the highest. Betcha. Comes with the territory (as the saying goes). What have most local councillors experienced/chosen to endure through their lives? I wager little of relativity. (Who put that word in?). I see badly thought-through, wasteful (of tax payers’ contributions) local council activities everywhere I look (in T/Wells where I live, for example). Probably Wokingham too it’s very well the same…(Glad I got this off me chest. I feel much much better!)
March 9, 2024
ABSOLUTELY AGREE. MY EXPERIENCE OF THESE ROADS IS AMONGST THE WORSE I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED.
March 9, 2024
I have spoken to some of the local traders at California and they say their trade has been seriously affected by the road closure. As I am sure you are aware WBC have put up red āROAD CLOSED AHEADā signs at the Queensmere Roundabout and at the Ford Garage, deterring drivers from heading down both the Nine Mile Ride and the Finchampstead Road towards California Crossroads, so it is not surprising that the businesses are already suffering severe losses. The Council have not yet put up āBUSINESSES OPEN AS NORMAL signs, even though local councillors have been urging them to do so. They say they are āconsidering optionsā for helping the traders, but they do not have appeared to have considered those options, let alone the effect their scheme would have on these businesses, before they decided to go ahead with this scheme.
March 9, 2024
Excessive warnings, ugly markings, signage and other needless street furniture degrade pleasant areas. Those intrusions cause repeated obstruction, restrictions, waste money and still more from maintenance and repairs: largely avoidable if they didnāt exist!
Some of us live in pleasant, well-kept villages, beautiful environments with clear roads having little more than speed change signs on entry and exit. Some places have ducks walking which act as natural traffic calming devices.
Even London once had cows and sheep helping soothe drivers. Wokingham is rapidly becoming like London now is: Overcrowded. Too many people competing for far too little space, contaminated with restrictions and penalties just for being there.
March 10, 2024
Is this an early stage in creating 15 minute cities?
March 10, 2024
This is going on all over the country so it is not a one-off problem in your area John. Where I live they have just shut a small portion of a road thereby blocking a way through to an important trading town and affecting businesses on the way there. It is to lay a new water pipe which is going to take three months. Now are the water companies trying to put right their lack of funding over the years or is it genuine? I went into the farm shop I frequent on Friday and they were very worried as people were avoiding the road in question and home made food I buy was not on offer. I did buy more of other items than I usually do and also a small tree which I have been coveting to try to help them out but three months is a long time. I know they have been laying off staff already. The pub nearby has closed for two days a week and the petrol station which always sells the cheapest fuel is also pretty empty. This is a Tory run area so it is not just Lib Dems/Labour. I wish I could just blame them as they have no idea at all but it is a national problem. Roads closed all over the place. What is going on?
March 10, 2024
Well Sir John, as the elected Parliamentary member for the area, why don’t you do something about it?
That is what the electorate expect from you. Go and do your job, represent the people that elected you and stop this woke anti democratic nonsense so favoured by the LabLibDemGreens.
Head up demonstrations, fine blocking court orders on the councils and so on.
Do something, rather than just writing about it!
Reply I am doing something. I will be supporting Council candidates in the May election who want to end this damage. All are welcome to help them campaign.
March 11, 2024
Afraid it happens all across the Country John, long gone are the days of repeater signs showing the alternative way through a diversionary route.
The problem we also have is far too many street signs, far too many to be able to read or understand any of them properly (if you are looking at the road), thus we all become sign blind, and towns become to look like toy town, especially when you get different coloured tarmac (Red, Green, Beige, Blue) and some traffic signs drawn by children, as in Wokingham
Interestingly all this coloured tarmac and white lines do not show up well when it is raining or dark, which are the most vulnerable times, and of course are completely useless when it snows.
Did I mention pot holes which are growing like a rash on every road now, and which are the constant reason for many MOT failures, with shedded tyre walls and damaged suspension.
Did I mention the newer street lights, which do not light up the street or the path, and are just like stars in the sky, another modern technology failure !
March 11, 2024
Do you ever get an answer to your question about the Bank of England selling bonds at a loss ? If not, why not ?
Abolish the OBR and bring the BoE under the Chancellorās control !