Businesses fears amid Darwen roads chaos (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Businesses fears amid Darwen roads chaos
1:00pm Wednesday 1st August 2012 in Darwen
By Catherine Pye, Health reporter
BUSINESSES say ‘road work chaos’ on main arteries in and around Darwen is halving trade.
Since work to replace gas mains work began in the Lynwood area, traffic on the A666 has often been at a standstill with 10-minute journeys often taking an hour.
At the same time, Blackburn with Darwen Council has started work in Lower Eccleshill Road for bridge widening work, a route that is often used as an alternative to the A666.
Abdul Khwaja, of Impress Dry Cleaning, said he was worried about how he will pay bills.
He said: “Businesses are already in crisis without this major disruption. Mondays are usually a very busy day where I typically get 20 customers, but this week, we got eight.
“Everyone on this block is the same, we’re struggling because the side roads are closed and there is nowhere to park.
“I still have the same rent and bills to pay though, so I don’t know what to do.”
Karen Entwistle, of Atlas Road, said she spent an hour travelling to her mother’s house, close to the motorway junction.
She said: “Surely whoever is in charge could have made sure one road was open before starting work on another?”
Whitehall Coun David Foster said: “The council was warned that having these two sets of roadworks at the same time would cause chaos and so it has proved.
“The borough has been almost cut in two by these roadworks.”
Council regeneration cheif Brian Bailey said: “The road closure on Lower Eccleshill Road has been planned for some time in order to carry out a bridge strengthening/widening scheme before the new Darwen Vale school opens.
“However, as we were about to start on site, we were informed by National Grid they needed to carry out some emergency relining of a potentially dangerous gas main and they were being pressed to do this by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).”
Comments(40)
roversjeff
says...
1:45pm Wed 1 Aug 12
alf-abett
says...
1:58pm Wed 1 Aug 12
Twicki1
says...
2:11pm Wed 1 Aug 12
3. Why aren't they working through the night to speed the work up.
4. Why wasn't the work carried out prior to the resurfacing of that section of road as it had obviously been a problem for some time.
5. When are they sacking the idiot who approved this to be done!!!!!!!!!
I live in Lower Darwen and can't get home from either Darwen or Blackburn in under an hour because of this idiots lack of thought for the amount of traffic passing through.
Yimkin
says...
2:15pm Wed 1 Aug 12
Twicki1 wrote:Spot on ! It doesn't matter which political party it is in power.....they just don't think about what they are doing and how it will affect others. A point to note is, as usual it is capita who are sorting the bridge works....it will never be finished on- time & they really do not care who's business or life they affect, it's all about the money!
1. The fact you hadn't started work meant you could of delayed it while the other emergency work was carried out. 2. What bearing does the new Vale school have on it as they wouldn't go that way?
3. Why aren't they working through the night to speed the work up.
4. Why wasn't the work carried out prior to the resurfacing of that section of road as it had obviously been a problem for some time.
5. When are they sacking the idiot who approved this to be done!!!!!!!!!
I live in Lower Darwen and can't get home from either Darwen or Blackburn in under an hour because of this idiots lack of thought for the amount of traffic passing through.
Excluded again
says...
2:26pm Wed 1 Aug 12
As the works on the Eccleshil Bridge mean closing the road for three weeks, doing this in the school summer holidays seems the best time. They had no way of knowing what National Grid's plabs were until the National Grid decided to tell them.
The problem is caused by no-one having overall responsibility for co-ordinating roadworks any more. Non-one approved for it to be done. The Council and the private company were working completely independently of each other.
Twicki1
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2:31pm Wed 1 Aug 12
english rose 1
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3:08pm Wed 1 Aug 12
Twicki1 wrote:Wrong Twicki1 ! The utilities have statutory rights to dig up roads irrespective of what the Council says.
People don't just come along and dig a road up without approval from the council and highways agency!!!!!!!!!!
*
This is what happened in this case. The National Grid basically rolled up on site and told the Council ''oh, we are doing some digging.'' The Council has absolutely no powers to stop it.
*
National Grid need to realise the major disruption they are causing. They need to get more workers on the job. They need to work weekends and evening.
EVERYONE, pleae e-mail them at customersupport@uk.n
grid.com
english rose 1
says...
3:11pm Wed 1 Aug 12
roversjeff wrote:Nowt to do with the Council roversjeff. You need to get onto the National Grid who are doing the work.
Typical of this council, I was stuck in the roadworks three times yesterday! This council hasn't got a clue.
e-mail them at:
customersupport@uk.n
grid.com
A Darener
says...
3:48pm Wed 1 Aug 12
Bolton Rd daily, I live between the set of temp lights. So if I am going either way I get stopped.
realist1
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4:17pm Wed 1 Aug 12
Fact is, both sets of jobs needed doing, but they are jobs from different organisations! These weren't planned at the same time. Just plan your journey better. If you know you are going to be sat in traffic for an hour, then be prepared to be an hour later home, or set off earlier for work.
It's the businesses I feel sorry for, not the people stuck in traffic!
past it
says...
4:45pm Wed 1 Aug 12
realist1 wrote:What tripe, do you know all the drivers, and where they are going ? and what a set of brains we have for a council are you trying to kill trade in Darwen are you trying to stop people moving around, to get to work to earn money to pay their council tax. if you predicted traffic chaos why did you not prevent it, utter fools.
I bet half the cars stuck in this traffic are in walking distance of their destination, so they can either walk/cycle if they can't sit in some traffic.
Fact is, both sets of jobs needed doing, but they are jobs from different organisations! These weren't planned at the same time. Just plan your journey better. If you know you are going to be sat in traffic for an hour, then be prepared to be an hour later home, or set off earlier for work.
It's the businesses I feel sorry for, not the people stuck in traffic!
MerlinTheVoiceofReason2
says...
5:17pm Wed 1 Aug 12
past it wrote:As has been pointed out more than once above by English rose, it has got nowt to do with the Council, who have no powers over United Utilities and National Grid (both of which are private companies). Complain to either or both and ask them to get a move on.
realist1 wrote:What tripe, do you know all the drivers, and where they are going ? and what a set of brains we have for a council are you trying to kill trade in Darwen are you trying to stop people moving around, to get to work to earn money to pay their council tax. if you predicted traffic chaos why did you not prevent it, utter fools.
I bet half the cars stuck in this traffic are in walking distance of their destination, so they can either walk/cycle if they can't sit in some traffic.
Fact is, both sets of jobs needed doing, but they are jobs from different organisations! These weren't planned at the same time. Just plan your journey better. If you know you are going to be sat in traffic for an hour, then be prepared to be an hour later home, or set off earlier for work.
It's the businesses I feel sorry for, not the people stuck in traffic!
happycyclist
says...
5:32pm Wed 1 Aug 12
burner
says...
5:32pm Wed 1 Aug 12
realist1 wrote:. . " cycle through the lights " . . .??? That's right. Just go through traffic lights on red like loads of cyclists do . . . is that REALLY what you meant?
I bet half the cars stuck in this traffic are in walking distance of their destination, so they can either walk/cycle if they can't sit in some traffic.
Fact is, both sets of jobs needed doing, but they are jobs from different organisations! These weren't planned at the same time. Just plan your journey better. If you know you are going to be sat in traffic for an hour, then be prepared to be an hour later home, or set off earlier for work.
It's the businesses I feel sorry for, not the people stuck in traffic!
Excluded again
says...
5:39pm Wed 1 Aug 12
Twicki1 wrote:Yes they do. That's the law.
People don't just come along and dig a road up without approval from the council and highways agency!!!!!!!!!!
realist1
says...
5:42pm Wed 1 Aug 12
burner wrote:Backstreets? Pavements? I don't really care to be honest. Just get on with it.
realist1 wrote:. . " cycle through the lights " . . .??? That's right. Just go through traffic lights on red like loads of cyclists do . . . is that REALLY what you meant?
I bet half the cars stuck in this traffic are in walking distance of their destination, so they can either walk/cycle if they can't sit in some traffic.
Fact is, both sets of jobs needed doing, but they are jobs from different organisations! These weren't planned at the same time. Just plan your journey better. If you know you are going to be sat in traffic for an hour, then be prepared to be an hour later home, or set off earlier for work.
It's the businesses I feel sorry for, not the people stuck in traffic!
burner
says...
6:33pm Wed 1 Aug 12
CapitaBackHander
says...
8:17pm Wed 1 Aug 12
p.s. the sign placed at the sign of the bus lane at Darwen (Belgrave/Berlin) wall is in a stupid place. It should be in the bus lane (nothing uses it / ends up behind traffic on road) so all can see!
Your ferret stinks
says...
9:08pm Wed 1 Aug 12
2 for 5p
says...
10:30pm Wed 1 Aug 12
darwenTower
says...
11:08pm Wed 1 Aug 12
2 for 5p wrote:That was the other day, ie. in the past.
Wait there one minute the other day it was reported that darwen market was really busy and all stalls were taken and trade couldn't be better, then we get this article, come on make your mind up.
We are currently in the present.
The future is on its way, it will become the present then slip into the past, I know it can be confusing.
And where does it mention the market?
MUDDLES
says...
11:17pm Wed 1 Aug 12
gazdula
says...
11:47pm Wed 1 Aug 12
Whose clever idea was it to start the Bridge Improvements AFTER the call from the National Grid?!?!
Excluded again
says...
6:38am Thu 2 Aug 12
Do people think the Council should be spending taxpayers money twice to do a job once?
happycyclist
says...
8:31am Thu 2 Aug 12
fairplay123
says...
10:52am Thu 2 Aug 12
Now I read (last nights Telegraph) that Snape Street and Cavendish Street are also being closed for urgent work. How on earth are residents supposed to go about their daily lives? Nowhere to park and can't get out onto the main road for love nor money. Its just sheer chaos!!!!!!!!!!!
Excluded again
says...
11:03am Thu 2 Aug 12
fairplay123 wrote:Trying to be helpful here. Why not head south, cut across to Belmont and drive up to the M65 junction at Riley Green?
I work in Warrington and Liverpool and even setting off at 7am it took me over an hour to get anywhere near the M65. This work on the main road should be being treated as a priority, with work going on through the night. I feel really sorry for the businesses on the main road because you just can't get to them, even if you wanted to.
Now I read (last nights Telegraph) that Snape Street and Cavendish Street are also being closed for urgent work. How on earth are residents supposed to go about their daily lives? Nowhere to park and can't get out onto the main road for love nor money. Its just sheer chaos!!!!!!!!!!!
When the M65 was being built and I was commuting to Preston I regularly took this route to join Preston Old Road. It added 10 minutes to my journey at most.
pocketdragon
says...
12:33pm Thu 2 Aug 12
darwenTower
says...
1:11pm Thu 2 Aug 12
Excluded again wrote:I think the Council should employ their own workforce and despatch them as and when appropriate.
You don't just start work on bridge repairs. The Council will have let a contract months ago. They could have cancelled the contract, I suppose, but then they would still have had to pay the contractors. Then they would have had to pay contractors again to actually repair the bridge some time in the future.
Do people think the Council should be spending taxpayers money twice to do a job once?
Isn't that how things used to be done before we started saving, cough, a fortune using the likes of Capita to get everything done?
Your ferret stinks
says...
1:53pm Thu 2 Aug 12
Tom the Cat
says...
4:06pm Thu 2 Aug 12
A Darener
says...
4:20pm Thu 2 Aug 12
Tom the Cat wrote:Not much point as the road works now block off this junction.
The point of the article is about Trade being effected. I work In Darwen but live in Acrington and have tried every which way to avoid a traffic jam on my way into work and it's impossible. Because of this, if I need to pick up any shopping I point my car away from Darwen. If I'm doing this, how many others are? And in the current climate, with local businesses going under at a rate of knots, I'm not surprised the traders are unhappy. I totally agree with HappyCyclists suggestion that the road through Crown & Hollins should be opened but by all accounts Hollins are dead against this. Maybe one of the authorities monitoring these posts could come to some arrangement for the next few weeks???
Your ferret stinks
says...
7:29pm Thu 2 Aug 12
A Darener wrote:Priceless!!
Tom the Cat wrote:Not much point as the road works now block off this junction.
The point of the article is about Trade being effected. I work In Darwen but live in Acrington and have tried every which way to avoid a traffic jam on my way into work and it's impossible. Because of this, if I need to pick up any shopping I point my car away from Darwen. If I'm doing this, how many others are? And in the current climate, with local businesses going under at a rate of knots, I'm not surprised the traders are unhappy. I totally agree with HappyCyclists suggestion that the road through Crown & Hollins should be opened but by all accounts Hollins are dead against this. Maybe one of the authorities monitoring these posts could come to some arrangement for the next few weeks???
Darren1951
says...
10:21pm Thu 2 Aug 12
pocketdragon wrote:Don't know where you picked up that gem of useless information - that's exactly what I did earlier this evening, coming home from where I work at St Annes - worked a treat! 10 m ins more tham usual.
maybe not so helpful since the road between A666 and belmont is closed....for road resurfacing as of 30 july... and travelling through pickup bank is also a nightmare, i was stuck for 1 hour because cars wouldnt/couldnt pass through
CapitaBackHander
says...
1:45am Fri 3 Aug 12
Darren1951
says...
3:25am Fri 3 Aug 12
Darren1951
says...
3:26am Fri 3 Aug 12
darwen_celeb
says...
2:15pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Tom the Cat
says...
8:44pm Sat 4 Aug 12
Your ferret stinks wrote:But would be a great help for employees of both Crown and Hollin and ease some of the congestion on the A666!
A Darener wrote:Priceless!!
Tom the Cat wrote:Not much point as the road works now block off this junction.
The point of the article is about Trade being effected. I work In Darwen but live in Acrington and have tried every which way to avoid a traffic jam on my way into work and it's impossible. Because of this, if I need to pick up any shopping I point my car away from Darwen. If I'm doing this, how many others are? And in the current climate, with local businesses going under at a rate of knots, I'm not surprised the traders are unhappy. I totally agree with HappyCyclists suggestion that the road through Crown & Hollins should be opened but by all accounts Hollins are dead against this. Maybe one of the authorities monitoring these posts could come to some arrangement for the next few weeks???
jogalot says...
1:36pm Wed 1 Aug 12