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Who is really in control over our roadworks?

Vic Barlow
6/ 8/2008

THIS week’s strange quotation award must go to county councillor Eveleigh Moore-Dutton.

She said: "The council has carefully designed temporary traffic measures tailored to help pedestrians as well as create a safe and efficient delivery of (road) works.

"The aim is to create the least delay and disruption to the local community, local businesses and road users."

Exactly where does Ms Moore Dutton reside…the Sea of Tranquillity?

Go down the Silk Road, Macclesfield’s main artery, and see the disruption at Buxton Old Road traffic lights.

The completion of these works is way overdue but engineers (I use the term loosely) have made not one jot of progress for weeks.

If there is any monitoring of civil engineering contracts in Cheshire, then it’s highly ineffective.

An idiot in a hurry can see that repeated excavations of county roads creates chaos and ruins local business.

To portray them as "carefully designed temporary traffic measures" is like describing a tsunami as a "carefully designed delivery of moisture".

Ms Moore might like to talk to retailers in Poynton, Wilmslow and Alderley before she makes any more absurd statements.

I would however advise against her visiting traders on Byrons Lane in Sutton where at least one business has closed down after repeated excavations drove away customers.

I suggest a more suitable declaration might be:

"The council has carefully designed its official statements to disguise the fact we are up the creek without a paddle.

"The council does not run contractors…they run us and carry out works at their own discretion.

"Weekend and overtime working, while essential to minimise inconvenience, is considered far too disruptive and expensive (for them) so they don’t do it.

"Our aim is to keep out of the way, allow contractors to do whatever they wish and dodge the wrath of local residents and traders."

Now that is a credible statement.

The views expressed on this page are Vic Barlow's and not necessarily those of the Express