24 March (Part 2) - Going Places : The Highways
Bexley has almost 50 miles of A roads, 25 of B and C roads and 280 miles of
residential roads. I used to say here that I almost never used them but
circumstances changed six months ago and now I am a regular and it has been a
bit of an eye opener. Our roads could be so much better if only we had someone
competent in charge of their design. Having said that, the surfaces, poor though they
often are, are undoubtedly better in Bexley than in surrounding boroughs but the
congestion here is appalling. Much of it engineered in.
Recently I have been driving via Belvedere, Bexley Village and Ruxley to get to
Bromley and with any luck manage the elevenish miles in not much more than 40 minutes, which is
half an hour quicker than the direct route at busy times.
Never is the driver given any consideration. The Danson Underpass is being
resurfaced this week but I knew every pothole like the back of my hand so didn’t
have much of a problem with it. I used it in both directions before
6 a.m.
yesterday and there was no sign of any work going on but at 7:30 in the evening
it was shut in both directions. Why does a dual carriageway need to have both
sides shut at the same time if the intention is not to make our lives difficult
and theirs easier? The diverted traffic was solid along Blendon Road and Arbuthnot Lane.
It is rare for any journey across Bexley not to suffer a diversion and the
architect of that miserable state of affairs is Head of Highways, Andrew
Bashford. the man who effectively created Bonkers when he blatantly lied to me
to protect his masters.
At the Places meeting he was the principal speaker. Would what he have to say
there be any more honest?
He said that quite a lot of infrastructure is not his responsibility. Private
roads on Housing Association estates and utility manhole covers for example.
Fixing the latter doesn’t usually cost much but it all adds up and the utilities
don’t pay the bill. He said there had been press reports that Bexley had gone a
whole year without resurfacing a single road. It had come from Department of
Transport data and was a misinterpretation. Resurfacing is categorised by them
as a 50mm deep replacement but Bexley goes for 100mm, so by definition Bexley
had not done any resurfacing, it was reconstruction.
Priority 1 potholes
(there is no national definition of a pothole) are protected as soon as they come to light and usually fixed
temporarily within an hour or two day and night and fixed properly soon afterwards.
Bexley fixes about 2,500 potholes each year.
Surface cracking, also known as crocodile cracking,
as
currently seen in Harrow Manorway, is not seen as a pot hole at all despite
the water ingress and subsequent freezing.
On Lane Rental
which came up here a couple of blogs ago, Mr. Bashford said it could
only cover A roads and the rate would be in the order of £2,500 a day and more
for longer periods. The danger is that utility companies will reroute cables
etc. along minor roads to avoid the charges and disrupt the lives of people who live there.
Councillor Sue Gower (Conservative, Bexleyheath) commented on pedestrian refuge
bollards which are damaged and left dangerous. Penhill Road has one right now which
is virtually invisible at night.
Councillor Fosten (Labour, Belvedere) asked how the Highways Manager meets his
stated aim of protecting Priority 1 potholes within the hour. His response
indicated they don’t always, and only spoke of within the day if they are not
too busy. Then the Highways Manager reverted to speaking of an hour; it was all rather unconvincing.
Retiring Cabinet Member for roads and things, Richard Diment, praised the
Highways Manager and his team for making Bexley’s roads less bad than many others.