Are shared surfaces the answer

Tenbury has waited a very long time for a make over.  Improvements to the road surface and the pavements have been discussed in various forums for years.  Unknown to most, battles have been going on behind the scenes to get the approval for the use of good quality materials, rather than using quick fix concrete.

So now finally, after many broken promises and force starts, the basic design information is in the public domain.

I have no knowledge of town planning or traffic calming and control, so it is difficult to argue from a position of knowledge, and all we can really do is put trust in those employed as experts.

From a layman's point of view, any scheme that reduces parking, and mixes vehicles and people doesn't feel right, and I do worry that if the graphic artist thinks Tenbury is served by London Black Cabs, how good was the brief!

2013 Not a happy new year

Tenbury welcomed in the new year in 2012 with a bridge closure that was to last 10 weeks. 

The new year 2013 will herald the arrival of Temporary Traffic Lights, controlling the traffic through the town for up to 16 weeks, as Ringway start to replace and repair the drainage system under Teme Street & Market Street.

Although there is a promise, that the lights will only be used when necessary, past experience is that the contractors will not only install the lights at the drop of a hat, they will leave them running 24 hours a day and over the weekend even if there is no work taking place.  Also, due to lack of training or just lack of care they won't be phased correctly to allow for the traffic flow, and the sensors will either be inoperative or wrongly focused so as to be ineffective.  Although work is scheduled to start at 9.30 am and end by 4pm we can look forward to queues back past the High School and past Kerry's!   I see a Ringway supervisor will be on site throughout the duration of the work, so hopefully they will prove me wrong.

No one can be in doubt that these repairs are necessary.  We have known of the damaged drains since at least 2007, and the summer stink at the bridge end of Teme Street reminds us the the foul sewer also serves as the rainwater drain at that end of town.

The promise of 16 weeks of queueing traffic and the noise from the road works is enough to put as many people, if not more, off from venturing into town, than the bridge closure in early 2012.

So far there has been no promise of any additional support for the town, no additional parking provision in response to the inevitable parking restrictions, in fact had it not been for the two "public" exhibitions and a leaflet through the door, it would have come as somewhat of a surprise to most.

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