Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
8 January 2011
21:2288285Quite, Howard. But I try not to lay down the law in my posts until I am in possession of the facts.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
8 January 2011
23:1488300Its not 'being done' Bern.
it was a suggestion from a contractor and is not a KCC proposal as such.
John is up to a spot of mischief making thats all.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
8 January 2011
23:3688301KCC have asked Jacobs Barry,and the talking period ends 22 Jan.
Not mischief making but letting people know what is being planned in Dover,people on here are always complaining they don't know what is going on until it is too late.
KCC have have just published this along with Jacobs and we can't even talk about it at Joint Transport because it will already have been decided.That seems fair,even the District Councillors will not have an input.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
9 January 2011
08:0388307I must be honest, I do think there should have been more time for us to discuss it better; I wonder why the apparant rush.
The survey has been carried out by a traffic safety expert, not just as a save money exercise and,as has been stated, there will be a considerable cost to removing them, so it's doubtful if money is the main factor.
This exercise is also being done across Kent, not just Dover as originally stated, so we are not being singled out as an exercise to try to kill everyone in Dover.
I have it as a pdf file Peter, but I'll look on the KCC website to see if it is on there and let you (and the forum) know.
Roger
Guest 682- Registered: 19 Jan 2009
- Posts: 146
9 January 2011
11:0188316While you have been posting on the forum I have been out looking constructively at all sites in the Jacobs document and as Ross, I think it was, said above there are some of these barriers that don't serve any purpose whatsoever - I spoke with Guzzler yesterday and he could see some of my detailed suggestions.
Let's get one thing straight, from my point of view road safety is above party politics so I will not be drawn into a political discussion of this. As Roger has indicated in one of his posts, we, as your representatives, have been asked to advise if we disagree with any of the conclusions. This is as far as it has gone so far - it may or may not go any further.
Once Dover District Council received the document I ensured that our officers sent the information to all Councillors on the Dover Joint Transportation Board and all District Councillors representing Wards effected - that is in fact every Dover town ward so that they could have an input.
Following my own trips around the town looking at the sites and naturally using my knowledge of using Dover's roads for many years, I have submitted my comments to Jacobs and have been in communication with Kent Highway Servicess officers who are working on issues in Dover to keep them in the loop with my comments.
Of the 18 individual sites, I've opposed most of them, mainly on pedestrian safety and directing pedestrians to crossings grounds but do feel that the one sole panel at the junction of the High Street with Maison Dieu Place could be removed plus those at the junction of Maison Dieu Road with Pencester Road as there is a well used alternative on one side and an extremely wide footpath on the other. I also think that some of the barriers at the junction of York Street with Queen Street and some at the Folkestone Road and York Street roundabout maybe uneccessary.
I have also asked whether the report writer has been to Dover.
Such an exercise may well work elsewhere but we have to always consider that these roads are diversion routes when there are problems on the A20 or the A2. There are also numerous schools on the A256 route in particular and the safety of our youngsters is paramount as far as I am concerned.
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
9 January 2011
11:1588318Good stuff Nigel.
Guest 682- Registered: 19 Jan 2009
- Posts: 146
9 January 2011
11:3188320Thanks Darran
Since posting #45 I have sent an Email to the KCC Cabinet Member asking for his assurance that the local input is taken seriously.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
9 January 2011
11:4588322I have also been following this thread.Im amazed that only DDC members who represent Dover Town Wards have been informed and can have an imput .Im a member of the JTB and i think that many of the people whom I represent travel to and fro Dover especially children .Many of the elderly shop in town .As a long term serving member I should have been consulted .
On another point I have been going through old Election results makes for
interesting reading
Perhaps some of those A boards could be removed along with the dregas who park on our benches ..
Maybe getting older but brain still working .
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
9 January 2011
12:2688326Nigel - thanks for the response
As I said some barriers seem unnecessary and could probably be safely removed, there is at least one spot where I truly think some form of barrier needs erecting.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
9 January 2011
12:3488327nigel,dose this include the aycliffe town and district counclers,as the corner by avos at the juntion between old folkestone road and the roundabout seems to be unpretected at the moment.there has in the past deaths of pedestrians on that particular corner.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
9 January 2011
13:4788337A very good and informative post, thankyou Nigel.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
9 January 2011
20:1588353Same here Nigel.
Will be interesting to see if report writer did actually visit Dover
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
11 January 2011
00:1588540On the matter of cost, Jacobs report does state that they will be removed and 'sold' for recycling; unless the council wishes to retain some panels for spares.
No Brian, the report only covers sites where barriers are in place and, having four young children with whom I have walked all of the junctions in the report, I will be objecting to most of them.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
13 January 2011
18:3988799i see that john got good coverage on this subject in the local press today, also on kent online.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
13 January 2011
19:1488808I also have alot to say on this one,at this time I am looking at all my old cut out from the press over the last 8years and I will post again on what I find ,but I can tell you what was in the local today is nothing new,I was in the paper with photos about 2005 and it was all about the railings etc.
I will get back later about it.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
13 January 2011
20:4388834Yes.I have found what I was looking for.March17th 2005. A town councillor is calling for residents to get involved in a scheme to cleanup Dovers Streets before the installation of the Lord Warden next month.
The Save our Streets campaign is being co-ordinated by English Heritage and the Womens Institute and aims to reduce the "Visual Chaos" on our town and countrys roads.
Vic Matcham, town councillor for Maxton, Elms Vale and Priory,is supporting the initiative.
Cllr Matcham said he had approached leader of Dover District Council Mr Paul Watkins about the campaign and had met a "positive response."
He said also went on to say he hoped parish councils and forums would also get involved.
At that time The E/H and Womens Institute send out a booket called Save our Streets and I am looking at the one I got then right now.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
13 January 2011
20:5388837unless i am reading your posts wrong vic, you were in favour of removing the railings in 2005 and against their removal now.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
13 January 2011
20:5788839Sorry about that I pess down the wrong key before I wanted to post.
In that booklet it shows photos of metal railings around corners of roads and traffic lights etc.
And goes on to say "We have a great English tradition of making and maintaining beautiful streetscapes. But in recent decades we have allowed that to be marred by great swathes of unnecessary clutter,put there largely to meet national traffic engineering regulations,
The result is streets that offer barriers, not access,to pedestrian movement and disfigure the great buildings that we ought to be so proud of.
Now is the time to make a concerted effort to do away with this clutter, both by changing national regulations and by expecting every highways engineer to embark on a campaign to review and remove what ever is not absolutely necessary. (More to come Yet)
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
13 January 2011
21:2388842I agree Howard it does seem as if Vic was supporting Save Our Streets back in 2005 and the second post does nothing to clear the situation up.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
13 January 2011
21:3188846No I would like to see the railings go as I was in 2005.