Croydon Council condemned over South Norwood gridlock
GRIDLOCK which has stalled motorists and hit trade in South Norwood must not be allowed to happen again anywhere in the borough, council opposition leader Tony Newman has said.
Councillor Newman has condemned the council for allowing a situation to arise in which traffic jams developed in High Street, Portland Road, South Norwood Hill and around the junction of Tennison Road, as works are carried out on gas and water mains.
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South Norwood has been gridlocked for two weeks
But Cllr Newman said: "The real fear is that every day South Norwood is gridlocked, trade is being hit very hard. Nothing is being done to solve the problems and there is chaos."
He urged the council to put pressure on the water and gas contractors to get the work completed ahead of schedule.
He said: "They don't seem to have been working flat out and I didn't see anybody working over the weekend."
The council also needed, he said, to make more effort to coordinate work programmes to ensure that repairs by the utility companies do not clash in the future.
He added: "It seems as if any utility company is able to dig up any part of Croydon at random."
The council's approach has been defended by Councillor Phil Thomas, the cabinet member for environment and highways, who said the authority was under pressure from the utility companies.
He added that the water and gas mains were aging and needed replacing and the council was being told the work was essential to avoid any risk of gas explosions or water main bursts.
Cllr Thomas said: "If something should happen after the council refused to allow the work to start we would find ourselves in a lot of trouble."
Nevertheless, he said, officers were in constant contact with the utility companies, urging them to complete all work as soon as possible.
9 Comments
by The_Third_Eye
Saturday, February 18 2012, 10:39AM
“You have to bear in mind that British Gas are not allowed to carryout works at the sametime as the electric companies for safety reasons. A spark from the electric works could ignite the gas etc. The same applies for Thames Water, they cannot carryout works at the sametime as the electric companies (electric and water doesnt mix) The same applies with BT. They cannot carryout works at the sametime as the gas or water.
If anyone is to blame it is the abundance of Health and Safety policies currently in force.”
by bondski
Tuesday, February 14 2012, 7:09AM
“There needs coordination, overnight working and such like to get these repairs etc finished asap - what on earth were they thinking of just letting, a much used feeder road, get so congested and for so long - it affects us all and displaces traffic to clog up other roads,to rat runs and endless traffic jams so you avoid the area - impact on local businesses.”
by LAFANTASTICA
Monday, February 13 2012, 10:13PM
“These "lefties" are always trying to blame the present Council. Should be ashamed of themselves.”
by Krystal333
Monday, February 13 2012, 8:49PM
“You need to look to the companies undertaking the work too - are they using the "emergency repairs" ticket to get the work done sooner rather than later?
From what I understand, there are to be no roadworks (other than those which are emergencies) during the Olympics. One wonders of these utility companies are trying to get in there quick?!”
by gordon12
Monday, February 13 2012, 8:35PM
“it's total mayhem, if I remember rightly chaos has been going on since early last year, what is far from helping is the traffic light sequence it just to bizarre six second for a green light and then have to wait for up to two or more minutes to change back to green, the council can penalise contractors for amount of time they cause disruption with unfinished Road works, they could also amend the traffic light sequence to allow more steadily flow of vehicles to prevent congestion.”
by roomster
Monday, February 13 2012, 1:40PM
“Far too often the job doesn't get "completed" because you have several different contractors and the last one fails to remove the barriers or signage and then a further contractor has to come out just to load them in the back of a van.In the old days a team would turnup and complete the work but now you have someone to dig the hole, someone to do the repair, someone to fill in the hole and then someone to patch up the road etc oh and of course someone to collect the barriers etc.”
by The3rd
Monday, February 13 2012, 1:39PM
“I have live in both the US and Europe. When I have experienced road works in other countries, the workmen work day AND night to finish the jobs. In this country workmen turn up at 10 and go home by 3.
It is a far too often sight to see barriers and holes in the ground with no one working on them for days.”
by Mickey_B
Monday, February 13 2012, 12:34PM
“These sort of stories always make me laugh. Councillor blames the council for roadworks and traffic delays caused by statutory undertakers works.
For one thing as a Councillor surely Tony Newman is part of the Council he is complaining about. No good trying to turn these things into party political issues they should get on and sort it out together.
Secondly, stats companies are virtually a law unto themselves and so there is very little the council can do if they need to dig up the road to repair their equipment.
Personally if I lived there I would rather suffer the roadworks than wait for a gas explosion.”
by AVENGER
Monday, February 13 2012, 8:31AM
“The real issue is,when they finished the work in Tennison Road,they moved there tools and left the barriers up.
The gas workers should have opened the road on Thursday afternoon.”