Pavement Works in Melbourne Grove

[Comus]

Residents of Melbourne Grove will be only too aware of the ongoing works re-laying the pavement. Since shortly into the New Year the works have inched up the street and are currently spread out all the way between Chesterfield Grove and the junction with Lordship Lane. When I say ?works? I mean that work has started but then seemingly halted, but with the parking still suspended on the left hand side, materials littered everywhere and little sign that things will be resumed soon. There has been absolutely no progress this week between Chesterfield Gove and Bassano St.

No doubt reasons can be offered, but anyone vaguely familiar with project management is bound to wonder at the seeming randomness of the approach.

Bearing in mind that this is Council Tax money being spent (and I know it?s subcontracted work), the ridiculousness of apparent lack of planning is now emphasised when tarmac that was laid at the beginning of the week is currently being dug up by ?Fourways Water? to complete work started before the tarmac was laid! Are the various managers involved not on speaking terms?

Does John Barber have a view on the lack of efficiency with these protracted works and how long the residents of the area are likely to have to put up with the disruption? I know it?s not the end of the world to negotiate the building works onto the road while vehicles hurtle past, and I?m sure the pavement will look lovely when it?s finished, but at the current rate we?ll be inviting the workforce in for mince pies and mulled wine. And they have yet to start on the other side of the street?!

[Tanza]

I can vouch for the fact that work has been progressing at a cracking pace at our end of Melbourne Grove (the Lordship Lane/Police station end). I wonder if the fact they've downed tools in your bit of the road and moved on to my bit (where it looks amazing and done in double-quick time too) might be anything to do with the house that's got scaffolding on the pavement - perhaps they've given up on that stretch for now?

[Mark]

Have a word with the council and/or your councillor directly.

[James Barber]

I made a point of walking down Melbourne Grove over the sunny weekend.

I could see a couple of small areas where the pavement works were still in progress. One of then was full of shredded tree which would need to be removed before paving could happen. Suspect that has held these two sections up.

I could see some snagging issues for completed areas. Other than that lots of progress sicne the previus weekend.

[Magpie]

James - quick question. Given the amount of potholes on the roads, would it make sense to postpone some of the pavement work, and instead use the budget to get the roads sorted?

[TheAllSeeingEye]

Far too sensible a suggestion Im afraid :-)

[Administrator]

Please stay on topic

[James Barber]

Hi Magpie,

Sorry you've not spotted the context.

When renewing the road surface it makes it hard to go back later and renew pavements as the kerb line is often affected by pavement works.

So the pavements are renewed first THEN the whole of Melbourne Road will be renewed.

That how Dunstans Road has progressed, Crystal Palace Road road will have its road renewed from 22 March, and not so long after than Melbourne Grove.

All these works were started at planning stage last July and part of the 09/10 planned programme of street renewals and maintenance.

[Magpie]

Think your last line gave you away there:

All these works were started at planning stage last July and part of the 09/10 planned programme of street renewals and maintenance.

There is an immediate need to repair potholes throughout the area - waiting for all the pavements to be replaced, and then the whole road to be resurfaced, will do nothing to fill in the two potholes in the middle of the pedestrian crossing on Lordship Lane near the Magdala pub (for example).

[Jeremy]

I agree that the potholes need fixing, but I don't agree that it should be at the expense of other scheduled work - for which the wheels have already been set in motion.

[ruffers]

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I agree that the potholes need fixing, but I don't

> agree that it should be at the expense of other

> scheduled work - for which the wheels have already

> been set in motion.

Well put.

If the potholes are genuinely dangerous then report them so a decision can be made. In the meantime as we're all well aware there's lots of pot holes around at the moment I will be driving round them.