Roadworks

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Discussion

tommytaylor

Original Poster:

12 posts

5 months

Friday 17th March
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Is it me or is there an explosion of roadworks with temporary lights at the moment, around where I live they are absolutely everywhere, our town was in practical lockdown this morning after yet another set sprang up on the only road left out of town that didn't have any yesterday. It was pretty bad, drivers were having to do u-turns further blocking the road just to try and find another way out.

Further more all the sets that have sprung up have all been 3 or 4 way controlled ones, you never used to see that anywhere but recently they are on every set which means the traffic has to wait 4 times longer for a green even though 2 of the sets are on minor roads that have virtually no traffic.

I've often heard the myth that the councils have to spend the budget by April to get the same or greater allocation in the next year but here we are again approaching April and the councils are spending money like its going out of fashion. Or the other alternative myth that they are creating traffic chaos to bump up the Co2 to justify road charging. Even if its just gross incompetency they are doing a great job in whipping up the conspiracies.

ScoobyChris

1,271 posts

189 months

Friday 17th March
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Councils burning through their remaining budgets? Noticed a flurry of potholes being (badly) repaired recently too.

Chris

Riley Blue

19,798 posts

213 months

Friday 17th March
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Or could it be they'd had to delay repairs due to the bad weather and are now getting them all done?

stogbandard

308 posts

37 months

Sunday 19th March
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Mad March and a draw full of spare fivers to spend.

Unless you live in Northants and it’s the end of the financial years and the the spare bit left over is a profit for the organisation contracted to “manage” the network.

CoolHands

16,721 posts

182 months

Sunday 19th March
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I think they go through phases. We had a long period where gas was replacing massive pipes all the way down the centre of a main road, just went on for months as they moved to different sections with absolute traffic control carnage

PaulD86

1,536 posts

113 months

It's local authority dependant, but some budgets (there are usually multiple for roads) don't carry over so sometimes there will be a push as budgets can be use it or lose it.

Winter is when the greatest road network deterioration occurs and this time of year is the start of the new surfacing season - weather wise there is a window for when you want to do most surfacing.

The main resurfacing list was probably written around a year ago as these are generally put to council committee by the roads department for approval. A year ago Putin's invasion of Ukraine sent oil product prices rocketing, including the bitumen we make roads from. There were questions on supply for a brief time too. So programmes have probably been priced to factor in potential material cost rises which happened initially, but have now clamed. This may leave an authority with an underspend they need to use.

I've yet to deal with a local authority which uses roadworks to create congestion to artificially drive up CO2 to justify low emission zone, but those of a vaccines cause autism and man didn't land on the moon disposition may well hold such beliefs. Low emission zones are generally politically motivated, but these decisions are not made by the teams who manage the maintenance of the roads (though those teams will be istructed to install them (often against their desires)).

I can't say why there are so many in your particular area, however you may be surprised how few roads you have to work on to cause big traffic problems. You may also be surprised how many people complain to their LA that their road need resurfaced and then also complain when it is closed for resurfacing - I dearly wish I was making that up! biglaugh