6 January (Part 1) - Shabby Wood
As
I said, I was gently taken to task for highlighting only
the lost staircase to
the Harrow Manorway flyover when it is not the only unsatisfactory feature
around Abbey Wood station - all neglected since the middle of 2019 - or even far longer!
Photo 1 is arguably a TfL responsibility. The temporary bus stop has become permanent.
Before Gayton Road was rearranged its car park exited on to Gayton Road (Photo 2) but the
decision was taken to move the exit on to Florence Road; which is good except
that Bexley Council forgot to properly close the original.
Photo 3
is just the sort of silly design that one expects to emanate from Andrew Bashford’s office. It is of
Felixstowe Road which has a Z-bend on which drivers
might lose control especially in icy conditions. If they did it would wipe out
the station lifts and anyone waiting for them. No one had the foresight to think
of that and so the concrete blocks have adorned the station approach for well over two years.
There is no kerb which follows Bexley’s favoured ‘shared space’ philosophy.
The only solution is to install the sort of bollards that one sees outside
Government offices in central London. They will withstand 44 tonne lorries doing 60 m.p.h.
Strangely, there are no blocks at the other end of the Z-bend to protect shoppers on their way to Sainsbury’s.
Photo 5 is the communications cabinet displaced or otherwise rendered unusable by the renewed Felixstowe Road footpath.
I forgot to check who it belongs to but my recollection is that Openreach
stripped it. Presumably there is no staff left in post at Bexley Council who
could remind them of their responsibilities and tidy the place up.
To be honest I suspect Bexley’s Council neglect will go on for at least another ten years. The New Layout sign by
the derelict since 2009 Harrow Inn site has been
there since 2008 at least after the sharp bend at the bottom of Knee Hill was remodelled. (First
featured on Bonkers in 2011.)
Directions to the Wilton Road shops while Abbey Wood station was under construction. It was completed more than four years ago.
All photos taken 5th and 6th January 2022.