8 January - Joined up thinking
How
long is it that the main East West route across the borough has been in turmoil
at the Crook Log junction? From memory, at least four months and the current
stage is not due for completion until March. Now the same route is to be
disrupted half a mile to the west in Welling. Work starts tomorrow.
The plans and consultation documents are available as
a PDF download from Bexley’s website. A summary of the plan says it is to
“reduce congestion and delays, reduce collisions, improve pedestrian facilities,
and generally improve the street environment by reducing signs, improving
obstructions, and improving the footways” and that “after careful consideration
of all comments and objections received, Councillor Peter Craske has now
approved the scheme for implementation.
That is a refreshing change. His
adjustments to the B213
three years ago were expressly designed to increase congestion and delay (seen every time
two buses try to pass each other), put pedestrians at risk from cyclists and had the effect of
significantly
increasing the amount of street clutter. Naturally
accidents are seen more often.
Perhaps someone should take a look at the comments and objections for Bellegrove
Road to see what fate befell them at councillor Craske’s hands. In the B213 case he thoughtlessly
dismissed every single one of them and its users face the consequences every day.
It is to be hoped that the new plan’s stated objective of “improving
obstructions” is not as successful as it too often is with Craske in charge of road schemes.
Explanatory letter.