Dear Sir,
I agree with Derreck Pinkney in feeling taxpayers’ money spent on ‘improving’ the approaches to the mini roundabout at the junction of School Aycliffe Lane and Horndale Way was wasted, but he is wrong to suspect the purpose of this was to protect DCC employees by ‘constantly having to organise remedial works’.
This cannot be the case, as DCC doesn’t do remedial works any time soon! Aside from looking at the state of our roads, I know this because back in 2015 I notified the Council and my local Councillors of issues with badly damaged pinch point bollards on Pease Way and Stephenson Way and, despite a follow up reminder in 2019, and a supporting email to the relevant Council officer from Councillor Eddy Adam, with the possible exception of one set, they still haven’t been repaired!
Several of the bollards marking the pinch points still show obvious signs of severe impact damage, one being totally sheared off, and several others have reflectors which are missing. I have witnessed numerous near-misses where there has nearly been a head-on collision, and some drivers probably avoided a collision by steering into the columns.
I hate speed bumps with a passion, but I hate pinch points even more! They stop rather than slow traffic and put cars on a collision path. The one on Stephenson Way near the bus stop causes gridlock at times, with nobody able to go anywhere due to the intersection of two other roads.
I’d prefer the pinch points to be removed altogether, but, failing this, DCC should at least ensure the bollards are fit for purpose and not the eyesore they are now.
Back in 2019, the guide price was £21,000 for each chicane and £14,000 for each speed cushion, I have no figures, but expect the pinch points would cost about the same as chicanes, so I appreciate why the Council would be reluctant to replace what is already there, and rue the taxpayers’ money spent in putting them there in the first place. I hope they don’t build any more!
I was also advised that in the five years prior to the introduction of the traffic calming there had been no accidents on Pease Way and only one ‘rear end shunt’ on Stephenson Way, which further begs the question as to whether it was worth the cost of installing the scheme in the first place.
If there has to be traffic calming, I favour chicanes as the least bad option. At least they facilitate safe crossing, though swerving erodes tyres and braking and accelerating uses fuel. Speed bumps damage cars and cause erratic driving, braking and accelerating uses more energy, causes tyre erosion and damages suspension. My late father hated them because they made him wince with pain (he had a spinal problem).
On the subject of spinal problems, I have noticed that many of the roads in and around town are now breaking up, with numerous pot holes developing, and what have been repaired have only been repaired temporarily and often unevenly. I realise this is a costly problem, but the taxpayers’ money wasted on unnecessary junction ‘improvements’ and unpopular and potentially fatal traffic calming measures would surely have been more wisely used on such necessary repairs. I hope they have retained enough of our money to carry out these repairs, and properly.
John Snowball
