Hello,

This is a genuine questiona rather than a rant!

Most of my town is being dug up at the moment and all summer. Traffic chaos is caused by the Gas, Cable TV, Telephone, Electric companies and I wondered do they have to pay for the privilage of obstructing the motorist?

Some roads are blocked for over a month and I never see more than three blokes working. If they employed 4 times as many people then sureley it would get done four times faster and we could have the road back?

Surley if they were taxed on a per square meter of road per day they may consider getting the job done a bit faster?

The money could go the the local authourity and prehaps even help repiar the roads that are constantly knackered by being dug up. Also jams are a big cause of polution and road rage so there are some nice PC reasons to get this things done quickly.

Anyone know if they have to pay, do you agree?

I think they have to pay if they over-run but I'm not sure. They're also supposed to talk to each other so that if BT dig the road up, they ask the gas and water etc people and they all try and do it together to minimise the delay.

As far as I'm aware, anyone digging up a road has to pay £400 per day if they close a road completely.

This however led to a dangerous situation in a road in London I used to work - cars were having to mount the (very low) pavement due to the ridiculously narrow bit of road left open. Because the pavement was so low, cars were doing around 30mph, half on the pavement. Being a saddo smoker and having to stand outside (only when smoking), I was angry that these idiots were going so fast on the pavement literally inches away from me. So angry in fact I called the local plod and they came and closed the road. It is only a short road and not a great inconvenience to go a further 50 yards before turning right off Old St.

Anyway, this road (Singer St) must have been dug up 20 times in the 3.5 years I worked there. If there isn't a tax on road works, there should be. Or huge penalties for every extra day they take. This would encourage the various utilities/cable companies et al to work together and reduce the amount of disruption.

Jerome.

[This message has been edited by Jerome (edited 19 September 2000).]

Wouldnt work in Ipswich, its always the bloody council doing the road works.

They have part of our 1 way dug up at the moment, and Im convinced its to convert it into a bus only lane (watch this space). The poor buses are getting blocked by the cars you see!
I dont know, what are us workers doing, blocking the buses, so that the unemployed and OAPs dont make it home in time to watch neighbours, grrrrr

robski