Ridgmont Road closure: the damaged barrier separates the private and public parts of the road. Local councillors have felt there is merit in regularising the closure, which was imposed unilaterally by Railtrack (Network Rail’s predecessor), so that the council has control over the stoppage and over maintaining any barrier. This requires some complex legal work. Officials are chasing this.
St John’s Court: work was due to have started replacing the pavements but very obviously a utility company has been at work there. This has slowed the pavement replacement process.
Beechwood Avenue: this is agan showing serious signs of wear. It is on the list for 10/11 but it’s acknowledged that the patches are beginning to fail. Herts Highways are trying to bring it forward a year.
Beaumont Avenue: HH are requesting funds for a full resurfacing
Highways update
Woodstock Road South – emergency funding has now requested from county hall by the local highways teams
Junction of Avenue Road and Sandridge (Stonecross safety scheme): this is now penciled in for Autumn. It should make it safer for both motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
Cecil Road: the replacement signs are expected shortly (but they have been a long time coming)
Dropped kerbs: there are many areas of the city where there need to be dropped kerbs for wheelchair and pushchair users. A list has been drawn up in liaison with the St Albans access group – and some work will be done this month.
Crossing on Catherine Street
For those readers who missed it, the crossing is being refurbished and not removed. Should be back to normal soon.
Flooding problems
I have been pressing for some time to ensure that action is taken by Herts Highways to deal with the ‘ponding’ at the junction of Sandpit Lane and Beechwood Avenue. They now say that money has been found to do this. When precisely this will happen is, as ever with Herts Highways, another matter.
If there are any other areas which need attention and which you think I may have missed please let me know. I am already pressing for the problem at the junction of Verulam Road and High Street, as well as that on Woodstock Road South, to be dealt with.
Update on highways issues
Herts Highways report back to me as follows:
Bedford Road – As you are aware, we are attending to carry out pavement
repairs on the badly damaged section of footpath which has been damaged by
heavy vehicles. In the interim I met with SADC’s Senior Waste Management
Officer to explain the seriousness of the issue. SADC have agreed to not
enter the road unless they can keep all 4 wheels on the carriageway. I will
continue to monitor the situation to establish how successful this
arrangement is.
Churchill Road – The badly damaged pavements have been ordered for repair
and the homeowner has now agreed to cover some of the cost of the repairs.
I hope to resolve this matter once and for all shortly.
I have recently been surveying the roads in St Albans to asses the extent
of the damage caused by the recent wintery weather. I have taken you recent
queries into account whilst doing this. Among the roads for repair are
Grosvenor Road, Alma Road, Hatfield Road and I am just looking into what
can be done as a priority about Woodstock Road.
Yellow lines at the junction of Churchill Road with Jennings Road
The traffic order has been issued and responses are coming in. Herts Highways will be assessing these and seeing whether there are any objections. They will then advise local councillors whether or not to overrule objections. This decision would be taken at a meeting of the Highways Forum, a county council committee which meets locally in the district council offices.
No money at all for lamppost repainting
Chris has discovered that there is no money at all for lamppost repainting in St Albans.
Throughout the city, there are lampposts of varying age, many of which are clearly in need of care and attention. Paint not only makes the environment look better but it prolongs the life of these expensive assets.
Chris comments: ‘I was amazed to hear that the county council intends to spend nothing at all on looking after lampposts. I have asked for this matter to be raised at the local highways committee next month to see if anything can be done to deal with the worst cases of neglect. But this strikes me as a classic example of poor use of taxpayers’ money. The Tories must learn to spend a little to save a lot.’
Road surface problems in Woodstock Road South and Laurel Road
These two roads have recently come to my attention from my own observations. I have had the following response from Herts Highways.
‘Cat 2’ works are permanent patching (not a simple pothole repair).
Woodstock Road South is currently scheduled for the 2010/2011 financial
year. I will pass your comments onto our asset managers who are currently
shaping the 09/10 programme to see the feasibility of moving these works
forward.
Laurel Road does not currently feature on the five year IWP at all. I will
investigate the road to establish what low CAT 2 type works are necessary
for the road.
District council to continue to work towards pavement parking ban
I have received the following note from the District Council. Comments gratefully received.
Members may recall the proposals to create a District Wide footway and
verge parking prohibition.
The impact would have been to ban parking on the footway or verge.
Drivers would be advised by zone entry signs as they entered the
District.
It was recognised that in a number of locations e.g., Folly Lane in St
Albans & Cowper Street, Harpenden that parking on the footway would be
necessary. At these locations signs would advise that footway parking
was authorised by placing signs adjacent to the parking place.
Unfortunately guidance from the Department of Transport advises that
unless repeater signs of the ban are in place every 30m a District wide
ban would not be authorised.
The Secretary of State’s view is that motorists cannot be reasonably be
expected to read, understand and remember the parking restrictions at
the entrance to a Controlled Parking Zone that covers an area of more
than a dozen streets.
In the circumstance the alternative is to introduce a ban on a location
by location basis.
We will shortly be advertising for consultation a footway and verge
parking ban in three places across the District.
1. Watsons Walk, St Albans – The entire length
2. Harpenden Road – Texaco Garage to Sandridgebury Lane
3. Colney Heath – The central area
Once these have been advertised we will be in a position to commence a
rolling programme of such bans.
As it is sometime since members were consulted on suitable locations now
is an opportune time to identify those areas where a footway and verge
ban is both necessary and feasible.
Your recommendations are therefore sought.
The key aspects to consider when recommending locations are:
1. Footway and/or verge parking is causing damage.
2. Footway obstructions are being caused. The rule of thumb being
insufficient space is available for a double buggy to pass.
3. There is an alternative parking location for residents.
Priority will be given to those locations that fulfil all three of the
above.
Holywell Hill crossing set to improve
Residents have been concerned about this crossing for some time. Herts Highways have agreed to improve it but time has been passing by with seemingly no action. I have now received this message.
Message from Herts Highways:
I intend to carry out the antiskid improvement to the crossing point once
weather conditions improve. An order has been raised and will be carried
out as soon as we have warm enough temperatures for the improved surface to
last.
I would like to assure you that the money has been committed and the work
will be carried out. As soon as this latest cold snap has improved I will
establish a work date and report back to you