7 November - Bexley’s roads are nothing to be proud of
They may be
better surfaced than
in some other boroughs but nevertheless the roads appear to be managed maliciously.
Changed personal circumstances require me to drive to Bromley during rush
hour four times a week. It provides a good insight into how poor Bexley’s
Highways department is. Cabinet Member Richard Diment may be proud of it but I have no idea why.
In the past week and a bit we have had Brampton Road and Sidcup High Street both closed. The
diversionary routes have been plagued by temporary traffic lights. I have also
seen Penhill Road effectively closed by the work overflowing from a side road.
Innumerable side roads from Erith to Sidcup are closed by Thames Water.
Whilst Sidcup High Street was scheduled to be shut until 7th November work
commenced on resurfacing Station Road which is the signposted alternative on 6th
November. It wasn’t totally shut but passage was difficult.
Journey times have been between 45 and 70 minutes and to some extent explain why
BiB has been neglected of late.
Driving standards are very variable and the failure to use direction
indicators at roundabouts is potentially dangerous. I followed a car from New
Road in Abbey Wood to Foots Cray Lane where I turned off to avoid Sidcup High
Street and the indicators were only used once. While in the turn left only lane
with a filter light at Crook Log.
Bromley Council has been totally closing a road near Bickley Station seemingly
at random. One day closed, next it is open. My destination has three schools
within half a mile and another within a mile. Watching mothers bringing everyone
to a standstill while trying to park
can be amusing. Often they give up after three or four attempts but judging
journey times around school times and traditional rush hour is not easy.
Next Monday Greenwich Council is going to close its part of Brampton Road for
four weeks. The bus diversions take them all the way to Belvedere Village but
what car drivers will do is yet to be seen. The traffic stream heading to Abbey
Wood station in the morning may be interesting.
Why do all Councils prefer to shut long lengths of road totally instead of
restricting them to one way working with traffic controls? Ten to one it is ’Elf and Safety.