Pottery Lane

Just a short one this time to say that half of Pottery Lane is closed - Station Road to the bridge - we could be completely wrong, but we're assuming that the promised tarting up is being done very, very slowly, by two men who arrive every morning in a Northgate hired van :/

Hmm, interesting ... I thought it would be more than a two man job, but perhaps they're just clearing it. There's a bit of temporary fencing, a red container, a mini-digger and little muck shifter so far.

Until the temporary fence was erected the yoofs of Langley Mill were using the container as a high perch - just the sort of thing I'd have done as a yoofess because - I have to confess - I liked climbing on things.

Grumpy has said he'll go across and ask for sure what's happening sometime, oh ... in the next few months ;)

I'm sure someone else will have been and asked by now and will no doubt leave a comment - please. Or I could have a look at Derbyshire County Council website if I get bored enough ...

Latest Doings In Langley Mill Oct/Nov 2012

As observed by my fellow grumpy ALI ... I don't want anyone to miss these:

1. I see not many local motorists are prepared to pay the new charges on the former AVBC car park (free). We now get idiots parking anywhere they like on the road and side streets causing a hazard to other drivers ! ... on - Cromford Road Car Park 
2. Just noticed we know have 2 illegal car washes in Langley Mill, the one that opened up on Dean Street months ago has only just applied for 'retrospective planning approval' for their 'car valet business' 5 days ago (11th Oct.) according to AVBC Planning Dept. website. So much for following the legal rules and regs. ... on - The Real Pictorial Langley Mill 
3. Well one high street shop has been sold at auction and we ALL await what delights it will offer to us over the coming Christmas period, that's if it opens by then. I refer to what I still call Sutcliffes newsagents, over the road from the Railway Tavern on Station Road. It was a pleasure to see the smiles on the faces of both of the mature ladies who used to serve in his shop (John Sutcliffe) many years ago when I used to say 'good morning girls' as I popped in to pay my paper bill back when 'papers were delivered, happy days ! ! ! ... on - Latest Doings in Langley Mill 
4. The date that I heard regarding the opening of McDonalds was early in the New year, maybe February, but all this bad weather we are having could have an effect on that, we shall see! ... on -  Bad Manners Maketh The Post Office 
5. I've heard the rumour by a few people locally that the access to the new McDonalds will be over a new bridge crossing the river from the rear of Lidl on the Access 26 site. Looked on the Borough Planning website but unable to spot any details, all I could see was the additional erection of 'pedestrian barriers' on the 3 approaches to the Asda racetrack and adjustment to road markings. I keep my eyes peeled to see if any trees suddenly get felled, to give us more proof of this rumour becoming fact! ... on - McDonalds Gets Go Ahead for Langley Mill - Again 
6. Keep your eye on the car park on Saturday 1st December 2012 for new developments ! ! ! ... on - Cromford Road Car Park
7. Now I believe that Asda made a large donation for the upgrading of the Pottery Lane footpath when the store was granted planning permission. We are now entering the twilight months of 2012 and STILL no sign of an ounce of tarmac being deposited on that sorry path. Now perhaps some Councillors might think that the peasants of this parish will have short memories and forgot all about the £50K+ that is sitting in some bank account and hoping they could put it to better use elsewhere. Well I have news for them, my memory is a damn site better than that and will be keeping a close eye on what, if anything, happens in the New Year ! ! ! ... on - Pottery Lane And Another Moan About Slurry Corner ...

Charity Shop and A Chippy?

HH's glamorous fence and Asda's trolley under the bridge

Rumours first:

1. There's going to be a Dr Barnardo's in one of the Asda units.
2. There's going to be a chippy in the end unit ... Hmm?

I'm all for charity, but has anyone else in other towns or villages noticed that when a 'just out of town' retail outlet opens, the only shops left on the high street are charity shops, fast food restaurants/takeaways and bookies.

Facts:

1. Application AVA/2011/0605 - Potters Co-op conversion to 5 retail shops, 8 offices, 12 one and two bedroom apartments has been passed. The applicant was a Borough Councillor so you'd have thought planning permission would have been sought before work was started. Ooooh, I say ... Langley Mill is one of the most deprived areas in Amber Valley. And they think that by creating this retail and office space, employment will be improved in the 18-25 age group blah, blah, blah.
2. The application AVA/2005/1268 - for depression boxes a Residential development adjacent to 130 Station Road is still pending.
3. Mr Heanor Haulage was the only objector to Pottery Lane becoming a 'claimed route' and tarted up accordingly. This presumably, is because he has acquired land adjacent to it and has received planning permission for open storage ... I do believe he was ignored. And I really must search again for this permission, but I suppose it could have carried over from the previous owners - Network Rail.

Um, when I said I wasn't going to look at any planning applications until after Christmas, you do know that was obviously a huge fib ... I don't imagine anyone believed me anyway.

My grumpy old man witnessed two intellectually challenged tw**s taking an Asda trolley - empty - up the street, they struggled to take it up the bridge steps, then hoiked it up and threw it over the top and back on to the footpath. It's only a matter of time before these morons progress to throwing one onto the railway lines or trundles one down to chuck it on the bypass. I still have to ask ... who breeds them?

Grace Landscapes, who promised to put more plants in across the road from us in autumn have been nowhere to be seen - not even to blow back the bark. It is possible that their contract is now up, I'm not sure if it was for one year or two. Either way, across the road from us looks a tip, I think someone chavvy emptied a bag of rubbish on their way up the street. There are two more bags of rubbish atop HH's fence - very un-festive they look too, I think I'll go and wrap some tinsel around them and hang up some of my unused baubles.

Anyway, if things aren't tidied up soon, I may be forced to pop over to Asda and threaten to plant all my weeds across from us ... and at this moment, I have many, many deadish specimens. Mind you, I'd need to take a bin bag with me to clean up all the dog-crap first ...

Update - 17th December:
Alas, it doesn't look like Asda want my weeds. This afternoon someone came up with a big bin and cleared the mess up across from us ... but lo - the rubbish is still adorning HH's fence at slurry corner, I will go and bedeck them with tinsel as befits my grumpiness ...

Cromford Road Recycling Site

My grumpy old man has been repeatedly asking me over the last couple of weeks ... 'Have you blogged about the recycling bins yet?' I have to remind him every so often that this IS my blog and if he's so bothered to write his own. And anyway I've been busy writing about things that interest me - like rg Group attempting to undo the irreparable damage caused to the railway sidings.

He comes in most days announcing - not 'Hello darling, you look lovely' - but more along the lines of ... 'I want you to write about blah blah blah' ... my brain has generally cut off most auditory senses by now, and I sit nodding and shaking my head - at what I judge to be the appropriate moments by his increase in volume - with an expression approaching sympathy [my face can't lie either]. Nine times out of ten it's usually some tw*t or other driving in a way that annoys him.

Righto, anything to oblige - and shut him up - here goes. 

OI COUNCIL! Where has our recycling site on Cromford Road gone? Grumpy went down Bridge Street with our plastic a couple of weeks ago, and there the bins were - gone! He said that other people had obviously visited before him as there were several carrier bags full of plastic bottles left where they used to be.

Yes, we know Asda is going to HAVE a recycling area, but it's not there yet is it? No, because the recycling space is currently taken up with construction containers for the almost ready petrol station.

Do I take it that you want us to further pollute the atmosphere by making a special journey in the car - as indeed grumpy did [twice] - to take our recycling elsewhere? Or would you like us to send all our plastic to landfill since you are neither providing this area with the means of proper recycling, nor do you want to collect it from the kerbside with the crappy recycling system you've got ... money, money, money.

Oh yeah, I've read in our latest Derbyshire County Council 'What a wonderful job we're doing for you' newspaper that we're being bribed to recycle - all we have to do is leave our recycle bins out on our collection day and we could win £50 shopping vouchers. Apparently they've given away 36 already and have about 60 more to give away until July.

They say it's to increase the amount of rubbish recycled in the area. Don't make me laugh!

We're hardly being encouraged to recycle except on a very moderate scale. We mustn't overfill the blue paper bag, and we daren't buy anything that involves cardboard packaging, any extra left outside the orange bag won't get taken away; so we end up binning it - well not me obviously, but I know someone [without transport] who did just that last week after the recycling lorry left it behind. So council, do you want us to recycle or not?

There grumpy - job done ...

Pottery Lane And Another Moan About Slurry Corner

Notices went up Thursday morning from Derbyshire County Council to say an application had been received from Aldercar and Langley Mill Parish Council to turn Pottery Lane into a [proper] footpath. We've got until February 23rd to comment or object to it. I can't see that anyone will object, so this should mean it'll be getting tarted and lit up as promised by Asda.

The lady who put up the notices must have been aware of the state of the attractive 'slurry corner' at the top of Bridge Street [as she went that way], and will hopefully have told the council how disgusting it is. The only way she'll have failed to notice it was that the mud was frozen.

Later in the day I watched someone struggle through it with a wheelchair, I've seen other people actually carry their dogs so as not to get their feet mucky. Whoever designed the ramp didn't take into account that mud and water once in there, can't get out.

This mess will stay as it is or even get worse while ever Heanor Haulage continue to bring 5 flatbeds of railway tracks [mostly on concrete sleepers, so not exactly light] and other miscellaneous crap to store for a few days at a time, churning up their land and taking it over the footpath.

Yes, I know it's their land and the current restrictions on what they can do on it are practically zero [and to be honest they're not even annoying me], but something needs improving with their access, it's not exactly safe just opening 3 sets of gates [2 at the footpath] and hoping that no-one walks along the footpath at the same time as they want to cross it ...

UPDATE: Sunday 23rd January
11.20am: Asda sent two men to clear up slurry corner, WELL DONE ASDA ...

Langley Mill's Temporary Road Diversions

Go to www.asdalangleymill.co.uk/home for their latest update on traffic management [and a link to a nice little map]. Asda clearly lay the blame for the inept TM system at the door of Derbyshire County Council. They also say the roadworks will last for 8-10 weeks.

And before Asda and RG Group think they're getting off scot free in this latest moan; they can think again. Why have they decided to start work most days from 7.15 in the mornings, instead of the Council guidelines of 8.00am - or is this just a case of tit for tat with the council?

Oh dear ... RG Group have now passed through 'noisy gits' status and are hovering between the 'pains in the arse' and 'ignorant sods' categories - tut tut, they have slipped a long way down in my 'considerate to the community' ratings - and they were doing so well a couple of months ago

I suppose to be honest, I'd be a little more peeved at the early morning noise if I'd actually been at home listening to it myself. But seeing as we left Langley Mill for our tin hut by the sea at 5.30am on Monday July 5th - oops ... before my traffic updates [ha ha] - I'm obviously writing this in sympathy for my friends and neighbours who have had to put up with Asda's construction noise all day, every day ...

Langley Mill's Traffic Management Improvements - Thanks To Our Wonderful COUNCIL

And if you believe that title you'll believe anything.

There was a moderate improvement this morning, people were able to get out from the bottom of Cromford Road, round the lights at KFC/Lidl and back through Langley Mill, rather than having to add to the queue at Lower Dunstead Road [info courtesy of my neighbour, who also makes all the phone calls].

Things were also quieter getting onto the bypass from Aldercar [info courtesy of June]. Let's hope this continues. As she also says, people were probably leaving home earlier so journeys were staggered rather than everyone bogging down the crappy diversion system at the same time. This could have been done from day one if people had been properly made aware.

The council really were not interested in sorting out this mess, Langley Mill has always been regarded with an 'Oh it's only Langley Mill, it doesn't matter' attitude by the council, probably down to our industrial past and our Nottinghamshire postcode - I'm all for dragging the border back a bit and jumping counties.

It's only down to RG Group's construction manager that any improvements have been made at all - and these concessions were grudgingly given.

Trent Barton - the information on your website is still back to front as to which way is straight through Langley Mill.

I really must do some work now or I won't be able to afford to pay my council tax ...

Update on Langley Mill's 'Minimal Delays'

Right, first of all:

It's no use blaming Asda or RG Group for the traffic chaos in and around Langley Mill, although you're free to do so if you like, but it seems their hands are tied by 'them what know better' - Highways Agency or Derbyshire County Council, as the work is their responsibility [or so I've read].

Apparently there may be a couple of concessions made regards the end of Cromford Road being opened at peak times - I only say 'may'.

Things should be improved at the bottom of Dunstead Road regards parked cars causing an obstruction, cones have been placed and the owners offered alternative parking.

Other than that, things remain the same mess ... Remember Eastwood to Heanor - direct route, Heanor to Eastwood - interesting detour. Cromford Road etc - hard luck - no bus - no escape - start digging a tunnel.

I was peeved about my lack of residents newsletter, I know they often arrive dated the day after the job commences but this was a biggy for everyone concerned. Apologies have been made and accepted so we're happy again. Just as long as we get our newsletter at the top of the street first next time - and printed on watermarked paper with gilt edging.

You know, I think it's time I stuck to my day job and left this to someone else - someone who is paid to know what they're talking about. Rather than little old me - a lovely, sweet, grumpy lady ... All right, own up - who just called me 'a nosy old bag' ? ...

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 ...

Traffic Chaos In Langley Mill

Well if that's the best they can manage in Langley Mill with just a bit of a hole, then I hate to think what it'll be like when they do the roundabout for Asda. Everything came to a standstill today at about 6pm because the traffic lights were broken.

Traffic movement had already been slow most of the day with this bit of 'traffic management'. Backing all the way up to Heanor one way and Eastwood the other. Apparently traffic was being diverted [I did see the signs] through Langley Mill because of resurfacing work on Woodlinkin bypass.

Don't people in charge of highways ever communicate with each other? Surely they must have known there were going to be hold-ups in Langley Mill - seeing as Derbyshire County Council had approved the Asda TM [so it says in latest residents newsletter] - without diverting more traffic through our poor village/town.
 
Back to this evening ... The lights on Cromford Road stayed permanently on red, as did the ones from Heanor to Eastwood, the ones from Eastwood to Heanor remains a mystery to me as I wasn't nosy enough to venture that far but the good news is - the crossing lights not far away [usually disabled when traffic management is in force] were working perfectly ... and frequently, adding a little extra zing to the entertainment.

Needless to say there were some risks taken as people just couldn't sit waiting forever but there were the usual few twits who took the risk to extremes by hurtling along in the Eastwood direction at upwards of 50mph, it would only take a like minded person to do the same thing at the same time in the other direction for there to be an accident.
 
We did hear one screech but by then the journalist [yeah, right] in me had told the grumpy old man to get a move on - and we'd continued on our walk around the sights [sites?] of Langley Mill, taking in a close up view of the back of Netto and mere minutes later, another look at the scrap that makes up Heanor Haulage - so I could get to my beloved computer and keyboard.

Things seemed to be managing reasonably OK on that corner up to today without resorting to traffic lights, it was all coned off but maybe they had to give in because it was left turn only out of Cromford Road. The GOM witnessed two people in less than 2 minutes turning right, he was talking to the site manager at the time and he said that there'd be a smash at this rate.

Just to say that when I started writing this, er, newsflash? [drivel] it was still exactly the same down there. Everyone waiting on Cromford Road and mad dashes from either direction on Station Road [the time is at the bottom of this post].

We did see a policeman at one point, I'd have thought he'd have stayed somewhere on the bend near The Mill pub to try to direct traffic as everyone would be able to see him from there but he seemed to have disappeared.

As we continued on our way round we had a word with one of the Asda site men, he said he was waiting for an engineer to fix the lights. Common sense would have told anyone - well, any woman [and incidentally the GOM] - to move the cones further to one side as they weren't actually doing anything and to chuck the traffic lights into the river ...