Banner
any day today rss X

News and Comment March 2011

Index: 2009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024

2 March (Part 2) - Crippling chicanery

I received this report from an ambulance driver; of the charity variety I believe. I don’t know Crayford well and I’m unfamiliar with its roads and humps and with so much material coming in I’ve had to research it via Google Street View to save time. It’s easy to see why an ambulance driver would be annoyed and his patient would be harbouring dark thoughts about Bexley council. So here it is with only very minor editing…

“You have previously referred to various schemes involving humps, width restrictions, chicanes etc. inflicted on residents by Bexley council. Have you though covered the proliferation of these in the Crayford area?

Not so long ago I was regularly engaged on transporting a disabled person between Bexleyheath and Crayford and was unable to find a sensible route avoiding Bexley council’s deliberate obstructions. The vehicle would just about, with extreme care, squeeze through a seven foot width restriction but it would only take a minor misjudgment (as witnessed by the scrapes on the width posts) to cause major damage. In any event the patient really did not appreciate being jolted about over humps however slowly they were taken.

The quickest/most direct route was via Halcot Road (humps), Old Road (width restriction and humps) and Iron Mill Lane (width restriction, humps and a chicane). An alternative using more main roads involved queuing through two sets of lights - Albion Road into Gravel Hill then right turn into Watling Street. (N.B. These lights are carefully phased by Bexley council such that whatever the traffic conditions it is never ever possible to get through both sets at one go!) On reaching Crayford more queuing was necessary through two more sets of lights on the Crayford one way system. (Again I cannot recall ever getting through both sets of lights in one go.) Then there is still the width restriction in Crayford Way to be negotiated (or sneak through the bus lane and hope nobody is watching) then the humps and chicane and yet more humps in Maiden Lane.

Bexley Council were asked for a suggested route which did not have width restrictions or humps but their response was that it was not their concern. So now you know. They do not care how residents get around the borough - they are only interested in making life as difficult as possible for motorists/residents. Goodness only knows how Crayford residents arrange for large furniture removal type vehicles to reach their homes when necessary.”

Sad to say I don’t suppose that story comes a surprise to anyone, but worth repeating. A disabled resident in need of a bit of TLC (Tender Loving Care) gets a taste of TLC (The lying Craske). I shall have my own story about how Bexley council doesn’t care about the disabled coming up soon.

 

Return to the top of this page
Bonkers is a cookie free zone. Not a single one