Langley Mill's New Roundabout

Oops, sorry neighbour. I wrote this and forgot to publish ... bad blogger.

I've just been told by a very reliable source [my good friend and neighbour] that:

1. The footpath on Bridge Street is to open on Monday.
2. Asda's roundabout should be fully open Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the weather for laying tarmac.
3. The turning circle/private car park will remain until RG Group leave in 7 weeks.
4. There's a big fence going up along the new footpath.

Photos will be taken [and inserted] when we return home on Wednesday - hopefully using the new roundabout ...

.......................................................................

8th September Update:

1. Yes the footpath to the bridge is open. Nets will be reinstalled on my windows [oops] -  I'll put my nets back up
2. No, Asda's new roundabout isn't fully open ... I can only assume that if they were depending on the weather for tarmac laying [as some of us were told], then they must be using the 'don't like fresh air' variety of tarmac.
3. BT is still very much in evidence at the end of Cromford Road, shall we blame them and their chamber?
4. The fence is huge, almost as high as my bedroom window, I don't like it Asda - move it!

My Cat's Rescue

I watched ‘The Deep’ in a morose ‘when-I-watched-this-last-week-my-cat-was-here’ kind of way. When out of the blue I announced I was going for a walk to find her. Bearing in mind we'd already done this Saturday evening, early Sunday morning and the grumpy old man has since worn a furrow in the footpath with how many times he's walked round asking people if they've seen her.

We went down Bridge Street [it's a long way round yet] passing three cats on our way to the recreation ground. As soon as we got there I started whistling and shouting her name ... oooh, I was sure I could hear something on Heanor Haulage land.

We went round the corner toward the bridge still shouting and listening [between the trains - they were exceptionally loud that night], but I could no longer hear anything. Hmm, so that means she wasn't in one of the Asda containers.

The grumpy old man couldn't hear anything at all, was I going doolally? ‘Are you wearing your hearing aid?’ ... ‘No’ ... ‘Well we'll go back for it then, I need you to hear it too’.

Back home we went, there was a definite spring in my step now. The conversation on the way: ‘Are you sure it was her?’ ... ‘No, but it was definitely a cat in distress and why would it meow every time I shouted? It must be her’ ... ‘What shall we do if you're sure it's her?’ ... ‘Ask again tomorrow if we can go on HH land.’

We set off again, one of us armed with better hearing, I was striding out and the GOM was sort of lagging behind. By the time we got there, the GOM realised that we could have gone in the car - what was I thinking? He was exhausted, he's no spring chicken and he'd already covered miles [albeit the same few miles] looking for her.

 
He heard her before we even had chance to shout her name. That was it, we were both convinced - she was there.

Now, we just happened to know where there was a sneaky way onto HH land [having observed a bit of activity last weekend]. We went to check out this hole in the fence and before I knew where I was, I'd had one of my little ‘moments’ and was to be found tiptoeing across HH yard, leaving the GOM at the fence telling my rear quarters that I could be in trouble if I got caught … I was of course, wearing my ultra-bright-ideal-for-breaking-in-and-trespassing-cream-fleece.

I negotiated around the crane bits and across to the shunter ... whistled, shouted [whispered], no not here ... I made my way to the big green thing aka the old boiler, no not here ... off to the big red thing aka the diesel tank. Oh, I can hear her back toward the fence.

There was a HH trailer covered in tarpaulin, I whispered ‘Tia, are you in there?’ ... ‘Meow!!’

I pulled at the tarpaulin, and got it up far enough to see two huge eyes and her blue daisy collar in the torchlight. Bugger it! If there had been HH's old lights the next bit would have been easy [having since seen the photos of the trailer]. As it was I was practically working in the dark - the torch I was using was next to useless - and I couldn't find how to loosen the cover. I ended up struggling to hold it up with one hand and dragging the cat out with the other.

She started purring, even though I'd nearly dislocated all her joints pulling her out, she was a bag of bones, never very heavy at any time. As my neighbour has often put it 'Tia eats to live', where her cats 'live to eat'.

I made my way back along the crane parts, I shouted [in a loud whisper] to the GOM to tell him to shout back to direct me as I couldn't find where I needed to be ... oh a bit further yet ... and a bit more ... oh heck, a bit more ... then I turned to the fence stepping over and around scrap.
 

I reached the hole in pitch dark where I'd left poor old grumpy worrying. ‘You've never got her’ ... ‘I have’. He took her from me while I had an argument with the razor wire. It was just after this that the pain hit, I thought the top of my head was going to explode, I had to sit down, such was the pain. I think it must have been the build up of stress suddenly being released.

We made our way back home - again - it's a chuffing long way with a wriggly, purring cat, half of me wishes they'd hurry up with that ramp to the bridge [although doing the footpath is what scared her into hiding], the other half of me is dreading it being open for the dregs of Langley Mill to cause trouble again.

Half way up Bridge Street I could see my neighbour out with her torch, she was calling and listening at the storage containers just over from the ‘turnaround’ while it was quiet. She was delighted to see we'd got her back.

Tia was starving! I’ve never known her eat so much, there must have been water where she was as she didn’t want a drink. She smelt awful, a mixture of diesel and rubber, I helped her out by wiping her with damp kitchen towel, licking that muck off would have made her sick. I got no sleep that night, she was non-stop purring, washing, eating and then going to the loo - thank heaven for cat litter.

I'd just like to say that if we'd been allowed to go on HH land via Asda's bit, we'd have found her in minutes and although I've been somewhat scathing of HH [yes I have], we were always allowed to go and fetch her back by the gate man - this was whenever she threw a ‘why-did-you-abandon-me- [with the neighbour] -and-I'm-not-coming-back-so-there’ wobbly - he knew all the cats that routinely ‘hung out’ in the buildings and on the back yard. Hmm, I think I'd better apologise here to Mr HH for trespassing - and even though I'm not a rule breaker, I'd do it again if I had to.

I've just read and watched with horror that twat of a woman who deliberately put a cat into a wheelie bin, apparently - at the time of reading - this was not considered by the police to be a ‘criminal offence’, presumably leaving the RSPCA to foot the bill of any proceedings against her. I hope because of this couldn't care less attitude that there aren't a spate of copycat ‘non-criminal offences’ made toward cats or indeed any animals. At least my cat's imprisonment was not malicious.

Tia didn’t go out for three days ... Saturday morning, off she went ... tea-time, we're packed and waiting to take her to the seaside for some peace and quiet - like the good cat servants we are. ‘Lets take some Asda photos and look for her, I can't stand waiting here any longer’. Half way between the bridge and the recreation ground … ‘Meow!?! This little head pops out of a rusty old girder/pipe doo dah next to the fence on HH land. I just give in …

More Chaos In Langley Mill

Not satisfied with setting fire to the recycling bins on Cromford Road, some idiot decided that it would be jolly good fun to have a bonfire on the land behind the recycling bins ... where there's lots of gas cylinders - result Bridge Street is completely closed off [with tape] no-one can go anywhere, several houses have been evacuated. The cylinders may now need to be hosed down for between 8-24 hours .

Rumour: The Napier and Mill pubs plus the land where the fire occurred is owned by gypsies.

Makes me glad to have escaped to the rainy seaside with the grumpy old man and my cat ...


Update: Panic over, everyone back home ...

Broken Promises?

Hmm, now how can I put this? Ahem, remember all those promises I made in my last post ... well, I don't have to keep them. I've just reread it to check how it was worded - yes, some of it was cringe making, soppy drivel. So bad I nearly deleted it, but hey that's not fair, I sometimes need reminding how stupid I am over a cat [ah bless, she's adorable].

But, oh dear - because of a mere technicality, I can carry on writing drivel ... so get used to it.

Although:

1. I haven't yet played solitaire on my windows mobile phone [my fingers are starting to twitch].
2. I've been to have my hair cut - oh, by at least a millimetre. Hmm, what other promises did I make? I'll just have another look ...
3. HALF MY WAGES!?! EVERY WEEK!! Chuffing nora, I didn't even put how long for!

Well, I've already made a donation at the 'Missing Pets Register' and I'll cruise t'Interweb in the next few days to see who I think most deserves half of my NEXT weeks wage, because even though I am exempt from keeping my promises as Tia DID NOT actually come home, I feel it's the least I can do. I'll also buy cat and dog food the next few times I go shopping at Morrisons to put in the donation bins.

I'll just say now that I really had no intention of actually publishing my last post, I wrote it just for me ... right up until someone took it upon himself - egged on by his equally twattish buddies no doubt - to phone me [number withheld] to say he'd got Tia ... one day this bunch of dillops may grow up and realise how cruel that was ... nevertheless, it was at that point that I inserted the phone call into the post and decided to publish.

I'll write all about her return - just as soon as I can get rid of this tension headache - in the next exciting instalment of my blog ...

My Cat Tia Is Missing

This will hopefully be my last blog post ... it's just one of many promises I've made over the last few days, if only my cat comes back.

The first promise was that if I was to win the game of solitaire I was playing on my mobile phone [Saturday], then she was sure to come back. I won the game and subsequently promised not to waste any more time playing it ... I have kept this promise.

The second promise was that if she was to return by the end of the day [Sunday] then I would have my hair cut short ... I am growing it, it's my one vanity, it's thick and curly [although insane at this point of growing].

The third promise was to donate half my wages to charities every week if she was to return by the end of the day [yesterday].

I have now registered her as a missing pet, it took me three days to do this because I refused to believe she was gone.

She was thoroughly stressed out both Thursday and Friday mornings, they were breaking the ground up [very close to us] in an earth shattering way, ready for the new footpath to the bridge. As soon as I got up [she feels safe while I'm in bed] she ran into the back bedroom and jumped through the window onto the kitchen roof, this was Friday morning. When we're home she routinely goes out for the day but knocks on the door at tea-time.

Yesterday was awful ... our main hope was that she'd gone to hide in one of the Asda storage containers, and of course no-one was working Sunday. The grumpy old man [who incidentally is as upset as I am], asked on the building site if he could go with one of them to check to see if she was hiding in a container - on Heanor Haulage land, where she's always hung out. We've had to go more than once to fetch her back when she's been left at home alone in the last few years.

The GOM was told he couldn't go on the site, but the site manager said he'd check himself - fair enough, it's a busy site, although the containers are well away from the Asda building - I can practically reach one of them [with a fairly long stick] over my neighbours fence. The main reason the GOM wanted to check himself is because if she is hiding in one of them, she'll hide from anyone unfamiliar but make a heck of a row if he calls her name and whistles her from close by.

I'm listening so hard for the jingle of her bell that my ears are aching, this isn't helped by my neighbours cats who jingle up and down the entry every five minutes, although it's a slightly different tone. I'd decided to lie down for five minutes yesterday afternoon - I'd been pacing from room to room, half the night and all day, up and downstairs to check through the windows - when I heard meowing at the back door, I shot up and ran to look through the window, convinced she was back, only to see my neighbours cat [he's been inherited and not sure where he lives yet]. This did nothing for my headache and I wept buckets.

I know there are many people who have had far worse happen to them, but I'm one of those sad, childless women [not by choice] who has always had a pet as a baby substitute - I've had dogs die and I've mourned them but the disappearance of my cat is agony.

The list of things I miss about her are endless, but the first thing on it, is how she insisted I put my arm around her in bed at night, and if she woke to find I was facing the wrong way [towards the GOM], she'd pat me on the shoulder - getting a bit more insistent with each pat [claws], until I woke up and turned back to face her.

What I really didn't need was some smart alec bastard phoning me up from Queen Street rec to tell me that they'd got my cat and had found her at Tesco Heanor! I was half expecting calls like this as the GOM has just put put posters up about her being missing.

My last promise if she comes back is to stop annoying people by writing this blog. So if you see a chunky woman with very, very short blonde hair, dressed in rags [due to the charitable donations] ... but with a huge grin walking around Langley Mill, it'll be me - with Tia safe at home ...

..................................................................................


Update ... Tia is home!!

Recycling Madness

We've received yet another letter from the council about Asda's latest plans - namely a new public seating area [end of Cromford Road] and a recycling area.

Now, I'm all for recycling - we do our bit religiously, this is why I'm able to tell people when the recycling bins on Cromford Road have been set fire to. These bins are not a million miles away from Asda's newly proposed recycling site near their petrol station.

While I commend Asda [along with most supermarkets] for taking an initiative in recycling, I do take umbrage at their assumption that we don't recycle already - both at home and in the aforementioned slightly singed and melted bins.

Asda say in their latest proposal ... and I quote: "Adding the recycling area to the site will aid Langley Mill to become more environmentally friendly". If these smart arse planners were to nip down to our unenvironmentally friendly Langley Mill, they may have noticed our top of the range, colour coded recycling bins already in situ.

But, yes I get it, most people who recycle on a large scale do it on their supermarket trip - unlike us who have all on remembering our shopping bags. I often stand shuffling my feet at the checkout in Morrisons, asking apologetically for wafer thin carrier bags ... because my super strong, arm-wrenching, industrial sized shopping bags are sat in the middle of the kitchen floor, where I'd put them moments before leaving the house [yes I probably did trip over them on my way out - it's an age thing].

Of course, receiving this latest letter from the council about Asda's planned recycling area, made me think about the tin-pot recycling system we put up with now.

Our council DEMANDS that we recycle our household rubbish [washed they don't want mucky recycling], using the crappy yellow and orange tubs [complete with drainage holes in the bottoms]. For some reason they don't want to collect our plastic ... which is odd because most households seem to have more plastic than other recycling. I can only assume that because it's light but often bulky, it would be cutting into profits - so we go on burying it in landfill sites where it lasts - well a lot longer than we do.

And before Asda think they're getting off scot free in this little moan, think again - if they and the other supermarkets insisted that less crap was used in packaging - I'm sure they're in a position to do this - there wouldn't be so much rubbish [recyclable or not] in the first place, and then they needn't be so smug when applying for planning permission to have a recycling area to 'aid us peasants to be more environmentally friendly'. Yes, I do admit that sentence got right up my nose.

My parents, sisters and niece [three different councils] each have two full sized bins with a couple of exciting new innovations installed on them as standard ... lids and wheels. They aren't expected to sort through their recycling [although doing so doesn't bother me], it is collected on a fortnightly basis after being wheeled to the required place - they don't have to struggle with blue bags of sopping wet paper [complete with several generations of slugs and snails], orange bags of cardboard that have mysteriously quadrupled in weight [because of the same rain that wet the paper], or squelch back into the house with cat food scented jeans and socks, because when you've carried the recycling bin to the street - you find there's always one tin that's tipped up to dribble fishy water down your leg.

Well, not me obviously - but I've heard the grumpy old man muttering about it ...

March 2011 Update:

Someone's nicked our recycling bins on Cromford Road - and Asda hasn't started recycling yet. Not very good is it council? We're overflowing with plastic here. Bring them Back!

Goodbye Langley Mill's Bookies

Oh dear, we have to say goodbye to the bookies next Tuesday. I asked my source - I have to use terms like that, it makes me feel more important - when the Post Office is to close. But, as you may have guessed, the PO wasn't uppermost in the grumpy old man's mind when he received the bad news about the bookies closing ... Righto, he's been to make enquiries and the Post Office won't be closing until the new one is ready.

 

There's been a bit of stupid vandalism in Langley Mill [nothing new there], when the big recycling bins were set fire to on the car park on Cromford Road [also a fence was burnt on Aldreds Lane]. On the same night, a wheelie bin from Bridge street was moved to the Asda fence in the 'turnaround' at the top corner, we don't know if anyone broke into the site or not.

Work seems to be progressing well on the roundabout, quite a lot of tarmac has gone down. The BT chamber is sort of still a bit holey but I'm sure they'll get their finger out!

Right onto rumours, there aren't many although I've heard several versions about the same subject, namely CJ Cars, and before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, I didn't make any up myself:

1. CJ cars has closed for good [retired].
2. CJ Cars is just waiting until the road is re-opened.
3. CJ Cars was hoping for Asda to buy them out and they changed their mind.
4. Asda has paid CJ Cars enormous sums in compensation.
5. CJ Cars has sold out to a well known fast food restaurant.
6. The Mill Pub is to be demolished.
7. Netto will be the 'George' dept.
8. The road through Langley Mill be will opened on Tuesday 10th August - yes, it made me laugh too.

And now on to much better and far less boring things ... I've bought myself a brand new toy - and just look what it can do ...

Yes - it can bend fences ... Int it terrific? And it's got 20x zoom, ha ha - there's nowhere left to hide ...

Back Home To Large Piles and Big Jams

Well, we've had mountains on the front and now we have hillocks on the back. It seems that RG Group are yet again rearranging piles of earth and now stashing them behind us - which means that as well as construction noise on the front, there's 'let's unload this and shove it here' noise [from before 7.30am] on the back, it's relentless - bleep-bloody-bleep - it's as bad [if not worse] as when H-effin-H and their pain-in-the-arse buddies were here!

So, as a complete change from living in the middle of a scrap yard, we now live in the middle of a building site whinge, whinge, moan.

They've now put the sides on the Asda building, it's not what you'd call pretty - yet, and my view of the back end of Netto has gone, I'm really, really sad about that - not. But, oh boo hoo, there's hardly any trees to be seen.

We went shopping to Eastwood on Saturday and when we came back were astonished to see the queue of cars trying to get onto the bypass. The queue extended as far as I could see down Upper Dunstead Road [as we flashed past at 30mph]. I have to wonder if people had been made aware that anything van sized or less could get out of the bottom of Cromford Road [turning left] all weekend. We noticed that there wasn't much traffic coming our way so can only assume that it was either a brand new idea or a big secret.

Having since been that way around whilst visiting friends, the fact that Cromford Road was open had obviously been Langley Mill's best kept secret - or a mistake - as the signs still stated that Cromford Road was only open at peak times of 5.30pm - 9.30am - and the road was indeed closed again this morning. Tut, still a case of nobody telling anybody else what's going on - and I can't be relied upon to relay information because ... well, I'm unreliable at the best of times ...

Asda Langley Mill Opening

Asda's new [24 hour] store in Langley Mill opens Monday November 8th 2010 - just after my birthday. You'd think with me being such a, ahem, loyal advocate of theirs, they'd let me open it wouldn't you? No ... oh well it was just a thought ...

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 ...

Badger Watch At Skegness

Last time we were at 'the manor' the grumpy old man looked through the one of the lounge windows at 12.20am and was astonished to see a badger. I - being me - went out for a close up view of them, fortunately they didn't see me because of their poor eyesight and twinkle-toes that I am, they didn't hear me. But I have to ask myself why I did this barefoot considering how many slugs were in the vicinity - ugh, the thought of it now makes me shudder but at the time I just didn't notice.

Of course my camera which has always completely baffled me with it's various settings, ensured that I didn't manage to get any photos that night - unless you count the fuzzy grey and black blobs. I should really have been ready for this event after an owl posed nicely a couple of years ago for five whole minutes with not one recognisable photograph to show for it.

Anyway, I stayed up until 1.00am for the next two nights - yawn - armed with my now tweaked and beaten into submission Samsung L830 - and yes, I read a few instructions after downloading the manual [this has to be a first, I don't do instructions] - no badgers, but the fox made an appearance each time.

Oooer, I've just put the news on to see that they've stopped the badger cull in Wales [I'm waiting for the Asda traffic bit in Langley Mill]. I can hardly believe the coincidence, I've been going to write this for weeks and finally got around to it today - spooky, but I mean ... well bugger! that was to be one of my grumpy bits.

I'm a bit sort of deflated now albeit extremely happy for the badgers. Sorry farmers, there must be another way of controlling bovine TB rather than killing our indigenous wildlife. It's not like they're premeditatedly schmoozing up to cows and deliberately infecting them now is it?

I'd read about the proposed badger cull when I was searching on-line for what to feed them [apparently they like honey sandwiches and peanuts], and decided there and then that this was something I could and would be grumpy about in my badger post, I mean it's not even been proved that culling badgers significantly decreases the cases of bovine TB.

Even worse, I also read about badger baiting - against my own advice [because I know I won't sleep thinking about it] - where supposed human beings [trash] find bizarre entertainment in setting dogs onto badgers, not once but twice, first they drag them out in the day to thoroughly traumatize them with a good shaking, then again later to be ripped apart - all good fun isn't it? SICK BASTARDS! - and I make no apologies for swearing.

Right back to my badger watch - on the third night we were treated to not one but two badgers, who obligingly posed for my camera. Although their eyesight is poor, the same can't be said for their hearing, it's very sharp which is a bit of a bugger because the grumpy old man doesn't know how to whisper, sending them dashing off as soon as he opens his mouth.

I tapped on the window of the caravan next door every time the badgers had settled down to eat [they were still up, we don't do early to bed around here], but even that gentle tapping sent the badgers running so our neighbours didn't get to see them in the flesh until the fourth night.

The badgers came every night after that munching on a handful of peanuts that we'd spread out, it was probably dropped bird seed next to the fence that had attracted them in the first place. One night alas, I missed a potentially fantastic photo of a fox and badger face to face. But my nosy cat sitting on the windowsill, started an odd growling and the fox turned back the way it came, funnily enough she sits quietly for ages watching the badgers but has a hissy fit whenever the fox passes by.

We consider ourselves very privileged to have seen - and heard - the badgers and hope they come often to give us more late night viewing. We're lucky to have the many birds, ducks, rabbits and squirrels visiting during the days, and now the badgers at night. Our family and friends have suggested that we keep feeding them to make sure they get to see them when they stay at 'the manor' with us.

Hmm, In view of all this 'free' entertainment, I may have to start charging more board for our select lodgings [yeah, yeah, we've already done the tin shack in an old turnip field bit] in a wildlife reserve. So, may I suggest that as well as the customary charge of a box of teabags and bag of sugar - you bring your own nuts ...

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 ...

Asda Roadworks in Langley Mill

For the latest 2011 roadworks in Langley Mill, please follow this link.

I've seen varying time scales [1st June - 22nd September covers them all] and varying amounts of disruption for the coming??? roadworks in Langley Mill for the new Asda roundabout or BT's chamber underneath it ... er, whatever.

According to my sources - hey, I like that, makes me sound important - Langley Mill's roadworks are only classed as 'slight impact' and 'minimal impact' on journey times, so stop moaning.

From 5th July there is no through road beyond Wesley Street from Heanor, so I'm assuming they'd like everyone who wants to get through Langley Mill [and who doesn't?] to go up Dunstead Road - the sign telling us this bit of info is just before the traffic lights there - and then onto the A610 ... busy, busy, busy. 

And there's a sign saying no access onto Cromford Road from the Eastwood direction. It doesn't say anywhere down here that we can't get out at the end of Cromford Road onto Station Road [but probably not].

The grumpy old man has made enquires to see if there is still a way through from Cromford Road for pedestrians to the Post Office etc. [yeah, I think he meant bookies too], he was told that pedestrians would still be able to get that way.

I strongly suspect there may be another sign at the more nobby junction of Upper Dunstead Road and Cromford Road to tell passing motorists that we're closed to the rest of the world, but as mere peasants residents, we're left to guess at this bit. In fact the Asda TM information so far given is crap!

So, where was I, oh yes ...  to sum up, methinks there may be a bit of a one-way system in play [but I could be completely wrong]. You can go straight through from Eastwood to Heanor admiring the roadworks on the way. And have a nice long detour from Heanor to Eastwood, obviously Eastwood is in favour because they pay their road taxes on time [and have much better Christmas lights] while Heanor - er, probably doesn't.

No, really? You think? Nope, it's got absolutely nothing to do with which side of the road the roundabout is on, trust me ... 

Update from Trent Barton:

Station Road at Langley Mill will be closed in one direction from Monday 5th July for approx. 6 weeks. This will affect amberline, black cat and rainbow 1.
 

black cat and rainbow 1 buses running towards Eastwood will not be affected.  Buses running from Eastwood will divert at B&Q island via the A610 and Upper Dunstead Road where the normal route will be picked up after the traffic lights just before trent barton garage.
 

amberline will run to its normal route to and from Aldercar church, from the church buses will run in both directions via the A610.
 

We are really sorry for any inconvenience this may cause; the situation is clearly beyond our control.  Our team of drivers will do all they can to keep buses running on time.
 

Yes, at least they let people know where they can [anyone on their mailing list] - unlike some half-wits who expect us to guess - although ... ahem, the buses will be running in the opposite direction to everyone else according to the signs that are up.

Hmm, I'm just confused now - Ahh, bugger it! I'll walk ...