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News and Comment November 2014

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28 November (Part 2) - Welcome to Lesnes Abbey

Crossrail definitely don’t do things by halves. No expense spared; well maybe those temporary lifts at Abbey Wood station could have been bigger, but everything is to a commendably high standard.

Critics are few and far between and whilst the Harrow Manorway detours introduced last Monday are horrendous, no one has been able to come up with a better solution.

For a recent example of attention to detail you only have to look at what has been done this week beneath the old public walkway.

Crossrail Crossrail Crossrail Crossrail

The priority is public safety followed closely by making the place look as tidy as possible. Contrast that with what Bexley council is doing a quarter of a mile away around Lesnes Abbey.


ExclusionBexley’s project management skills were plain for all to see in the Broadway and even more so in Sidcup where ten months of ‘regeneration’ caused a colossal amount of disruption and a certain amount of danger for the few shoppers that remained in town. (See first of the photos below.) And all for a set of changes which are barely discernible.

Disabled access to Lesnes Abbey has been difficult ever since a fence was erected around it about five years ago, supposedly to keep motorcyclists out. As it’s only a foot high in some places, all they do is lift their steeds over the low barrier. This week the only disabled-friendly entrance to Lesnes Abbey has been barred. It provided an almost level route to the Abbey.

Bexley has four million pounds of lottery money to spend and it has blown a few quid on a replacement gate in New Road. It is negotiable by a wheelchair, if it’s a small one, but the temporary path extending from it is soft and spongy. Before it rejoins the old path it has a nasty inverse camber but far worse is the 25% incline. The combination of a soft surface and steep climb will make the passage of a wheel chair next to impossible.

Sidcup Lesnes Lesnes Lesnes

You won’t find anything that poor around a Crossrail site.

Incidentally, the plans for Lesnes Abbey park have made the dog walkers more than usually talkative and I have yet to find anyone with a good word to say for them. Same with the emails.

 

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