Monday 5 July 2010

Gridlock In Langley Mill

'Slight' and 'Minimal' impact on journey time - my arse!

Langley Mill has now been brought to a standstill ...

From what I understand - I may be wrong, it did happen once before - hmm, oh, years ago now - DERBYSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL took the decision to use the current method of traffic management through Langley Mill against advice after the traffic surveys were done.

I've heard reports of people taking an hour and half round trip to get children to school. North, Ebenezer and Thompson Streets were being used as shortcuts because of the gridlock at the bottom of Lower Dunstead Road, but this has now been stopped.

3/4 hour trip from Eastwood to Heanor - supposedly straight through, 20 minutes from half way up Mansfield Road to Lower Dunstead Road. Not good is it councillors, I do hope you weren't passing through Langley Mill on your way anywhere.

Did anyone at any point in this crass TM decision making consider the emergency services and how they'd get through Langley Mill? Flashing lights and sirens are next to useless in a gridlock.

I've just found out ASDA and RG GROUP, that whatever idle sod you sent with the residents newsletters the other day to tell us about the roadworks - and no way out of Cromford Road onto Station Road - only got as far as 32 Bridge Street and didn't bother with us from 34-72.

So far, I've given nothing but praise for how well you've kept us informed on each phase of the works being undertaken, but this is clearly NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!

From what I've been told now, the council and RG Group are having a meeting to sort the chaos out. Why oh why don't you just let someone with some sense do it - like a woman?

Watch this space ...

5 comments:

  1. We didn't get any advance warning of the road closures today, in Bailey Brook Drive. My child was 45 minutes late to school this morning AND I left double the travelling time usually required after my husband texted me to say to set off early!!!

    It was even WORSE this afternoon.

    How long will this go on for? No one seems to know - there is no indication on the diversion signs to tell us. This is a total shambles which, had we known it would take nearly an hour to do our usual 10 minute journeys we would have set out that much earlier and maybe some of gridlock could have been avoided. I am sure the poor residents on Lower Dunstead would have appreciated a heads up so they could have moved their cars rather than have buses and lorries try and squeeze past them with only millimeters to spare too.

    COUNCILLORS - How about a set of temporary traffic lights and a reduction in the speed limit coming up to the Aldercar turn off on the A610 to make it slightly possible for buses (and everyone else) on diversion to turn right safely???

    Local council PLEASE get a grip and go make ASDA put notices up so we know whats going on because we will have plenty of time to read them and take note while sitting in the jams and please - DO IT NOW.

    Or get the lazy leaflet distributor to stand at the top of Dunstead and hand his leaflets out there - he wouldnt hardly have to move.

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  2. Well said June,

    it is a complete shambles. Far more should have been done to make people aware of the roadworks and diversions in place before they happened, rather than this 'lets see what it's like first' attitude they seem to have adopted.

    An excellent idea about the traffic lights, or at least a speed reduction at the junction from Aldercar onto the A610.

    But it shouldn't have been left to us to do their thinking for them, somebody, somewhere is being paid a lot of money for their supposed intelligence in organising diversions and notifying people.

    My neighbour has made numerous phone calls to find out as much as possible - and will no doubt be making more tomorrow - while I've been putting the information together and blogging.

    They have also put similar info on 'facebook - Asda Langley Mill' about the bottom of Cromford Road being open from 5.30pm-9.30am the following day.

    We don't yet know how much this 'concession' by the Highways is going to help, it's just a case of wait and see.

    I can't find anywhere [yet] on the Internet with any proper information, only what we've gathered ourselves and shared. This in itself is beyond shoddy.

    I hope there will be a massive improvement tomorrow, if not, everyone may as well stay in bed instead of struggling with the chaos.

    Thanks for your input, very much appreciated.

    Julie

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  3. Talking to my neighbour this morning, she said her friend had seen a tiny paper notice on a lampost near Cromford Road with a map of the diversion and she thinks her friend said this disruption would go on for 8 weeks but then someone else told her 12 weeks.

    I scoured the internet to see if there was any info and there isnt - the best info is on your blog.

    This morning wasnt too bad, still snarled up but moved a lot quicker. The traffic noise on our street started an hour earlier so I think lots of people are setting off early and I know of a few that have given up altogether and are walking.

    The A610 was also quieter so turning right onto it at the top of Cromford Road was much easier.

    If it is twelve weeks of jams at peak times it is going to be horrible especially while the kids are at school. I wonder why they didnt invest in a few bigger notices and post them along Station and Cromford Road? I suppose its easier for them to let everyone else pay the costs of being late and sitting in traffic than them spend a few quid on some proper signage.

    Roll on the summer holidays :) and thanks Julie for this blog, it's the best source of info I could find :)

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  4. Just found this on the Trent Barton Website - they say 6 weeks

    http://www.trentbarton.co.uk/service_news.aspx?serviceid=154

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  5. I dont understand why they did not do what they have done bt made it the other way round as most of the traffic into langley mill from eastwood side comes from the by pass anyway so they would just go straight on on come of at aldercar with no problem at all. To get of a by pass is allways easyer than getting on more so as aldercar dont have a run up to get up speed of traffic hence the speed limit reduction you talk about. O and one more thing blow them lights up at the Jocky they have made no use at all if you ask me since the day they put them up and as for them outside ESSO did you notice how clear the road woz the other day when they were not working that i thought happend to be brill.

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Be nice, I'm very sensitive.