Zebedee Tring

Buddug, I don't know whether you are aware that Zebedee Tring was one of the stereotypical members of the "lower orders" who appeared in one of my serious addictions, namely The Archers, until the early seventies.

Buddug, Rod Stewart had "Reason To Believe" - it was on the B side of "Maggie May".

Judging from my recent experience of Southwark I would prefer the cock up theory to the conspiracy theory. Southwark seem to be going out of their way to wind up as many of their residents as possible.

Can I suggest that you google surcharge and check whether it still exists.

As far as I am aware surcharge has been abolished.

The Southwark officer whom you should contact is the Monitoring Officer, rather than the DCC Committee Officer. She has overall responsibility for procedural matters.

Please read James Barber's latest post on the Loughborough Junction thread to see his thinking on the issue of road closures. This may inform his view on the Melbourne Grove proposal.

So it sounds like you are limbering up to favour the Melbourne Grove closure then, James. The main reason why the closure of Townley Road hasn't caused a big problem is because it has been closed during the holidays. Just wait and see what it will be like if the road is still closed after the schools go back.

Courtesy to local residents? Aren't you expecting a bit too much? Southwark and Conways think that we are a collection of interfering idiots.

Here's an update to the change.org petition re the Townley/EDG junction from earlier this year, quoting the Conway/AECOM letter of 28 August and asking what are the "unforeseen circumstances" and the "technical and legislative complications" leading to the failure to complete the works by Thursday 3 September: https://www.change.org/p/southwark-council-townley-road-junction/u/12957440?tk=zUItJkiyBuHEThiRYswlyIsw58RpCphUcBrIKNxT5go&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email

James, you haven't replied to my post below: " So in the days when your "lot" ruled, James, were things really so much better? Please give us chapter and verse. In any case, haven't Conways entered into a contract(s) under which they are penalised if they haven't completed works within a specific time? And what has changed since your "lot" were in power?" If you don't reply to this, I will assume that this is because you can't make a satisfactory response and that Southwark's relationship with Conways is no different from when your "lot" were in power. Please in future try to help us to get a better service from Southwark and Conways rather than using these threads to take political swipes at Southwark Labour.

There's no excuse for their utter incompetence, spider69. In fact screwing up a sensitive scheme would surely make it more likely that you would get the chop - bosses don't like their underlings giving them problems.

James, I only mentioned the Lib Dem manifesto because you referred to Southwark Labour's manifesto. You were the one to make a political issue out of an issue that I don't consider to be political. Let's face it, Lib Dems are on very sticky ground when they comment on other parties' manifestos. A real case of the pot calling the kettle black. The consequences of the Lib Dems going totally against one of their most popular manifesto commitments can be seen in the fact that the whole Lib Dem parliamentary group can now travel to Westminster in one people carrier. And the Lib Dems in government did nothing to block madman Lansley's crazy NHS "reforms". So much for moderating "unfettered Toryism". You say "Labour Southwark have introduced such restrictions in many other places .... because it was in their 2014 Southwark Labour manifesto." You may not support this policy (I don't) but you would have to acknowledge that at least Labour are following the promises in their manifesto, something that has recently been alien to the Lib Dems.

"... due to some technical and legislative complications, the full cycle facilities are not able to be implemented at this time. I anticipate the full cycle facilities being completed later in the autumn but this is subject to TfL, the authority responsible for traffic signals, completing trials at a different location and DfT authorisation being agreed." So what has happened here? TfL miffed at the changes to the cycling proposals (i.e. the reason that they are supposed to be funding the scheme in the first place) and threatening to withhold funding? The Townley/EDG junction changes having a serious knock on effect at other junctions in the area, e.g. at EDG/Redpost junction? And why is DfT authorisation still needed - or more to the point, why hasn't it been sought already? The words "brewery", "piss-up", "organise" and "couldn't" spring to mind! Earlier this afternoon I walked past the site. I don't see that there is any way that the carriageway of Townley Road could be re-opened to all traffic by Wednesday 2nd September given its state at the moment - Monday is a Bank Holiday and therefore they have only one working day to achieve this, assuming that they are not working on Monday. The left turn from Townley into EDG is now so much tighter than before that it will be very difficult for coaches to negotiate the turn without causing chaos and creating serious hold ups at the junction - not to mention the greater possibility of accidents leading to injuries and vehicle damage.

And I don't remember "Of course we aren't going to scrap student loans. We're going to increase them massively, you gullible lot".

Does anyone know the names of the people who applied for the Play Streets? I think that we should be told. Or are they allowed to remain anonymous on the ground that disclosure of their names would breach their human rights or constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act? (insert your chosen spurious reason) I'm glad that I don't live in Melbourne Grove. The atmosphere must be getting more and more poisonous.

Extract from Southwark's website: "During the summer months, Southwark Council has eased traffic regulations to help local people set up play activities for their children. Applications are now open for anyone who wants to close their local road for Play Streets". However, I see that the closures are due to take place on Saturday 5th September, Saturday 3rd October and Saturday 7th November. Since when have September, October and November been part of "the summer months"?

So in the days when your "lot" ruled, James, were things really so much better? Please give us chapter and verse. In any case, haven't Conways entered into a contract(s) under which they are penalised if they haven't completed works within a specific time? And what has changed since your "lot" were in power?

Why so long? They started weeks ago (?late June/ early July) on what is surely not a very complicated job but is located on the busiest road in ED. This delay is presumably because Conways start one job and then move on to other jobs, leaving other jobs in limbo. In other words, just like the worst cowboy builders. James, I think that you said somewhere something along the lines of Southwark's deal with Conways being one of the cheapest in London. As I have already commented, if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

Whatever the purpose of the works, how much longer are Southwark and their chums Conways going to take to complete the bloody works? In time for the Christmas street market?

Drove past the works at about 3pm today. Sweet FA happening. Southwark and Conways - what a collective shower.

A lot of dosh. Libel law prevents me from saying anything further about that company and their Southwark contacts.

Don't worry Abe, I was being sarcastic too! How can one not be enraged and/or sarcastic when one is faced with such gross incompetence.

Maybe I'm being a bit slow, but how come the British standard kerb is shorter than the ED standard? Has ED declared UDI from the UK while I wasn't looking?

As someone has already asked the question but has not been given an answer, I will ask it again: Is there no company in the UK that makes kerb stone? Do we really have to import every bit of raw material that we need? No wonder that this country is in such a mess! JB says that the Conways deal is one of the cheapest in London. To quote an old clich?, if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.