London Road misery.

Richard Wyatt
The sign warning of 31 weeks of misery.
The sign warning of 31 weeks of misery. Click on images to enlarge.

 

Let’s talk about the London Road pavement improvements shall we. You may have noticed – driving into Bath – that there is a lot of construction work being done to pavements on the left hand side leading up to the turning for Cleveland Bridge and Bathwick Street.

It’s basically the area from Hobson’s Choice – the kitchen people – up to the corner grocery stores.

The 'pavement' ON the London Road.
The ‘pavement’ ON the London Road.

A big yellow sign warns of works from September for 31 weeks – so it’s a sure thing we take this mess into 2015.

You have to feel sorry for the guys working on this strip – in all weathers – and with all manner of abuse coming their way about the effect on traffic flow and the disruption pedestrians and cyclists also face.

It has been one drama after another.

First financial problems for the main contractor, then paving slabs laid in the wrong design having to be taken up. Looks like they’ve settled for tarmac now on that side of the road.

This morning – with most of the main pavement out of bounds – people are walking along a narrow strip alongside the heavy passing traffic – now squeezed into one lane. The only protection is a line of plastic barriers and cones.

The picture of the pushchair wheeling mum and the passing tanker says it all.

The lady with a pushchair says it all.
The lady with a pushchair says it all.
Electricity cables just under the surface are going to make it difficult to get new paving stones flush.
Electricity cables just under the surface are going to make it difficult to get new paving stones flush.

I am hearing now that under-pavement cellars and buried electricity cables are creating further problems in trying to get the new paving block to lie low enough to be flush with the new kerbs.

In some places it’s going to have to be a little up and down.

Talking to staff at Hobson’s Choice – l wondered why their bit of pavement had been finished ahead of all the rest.

Completed section outside of Hobson's Choice
Completed section outside of Hobson’s Choice

Seems persistent inquiries about the effects all this was having on business may have helped and also their section was something of a ‘test bed’ for trying out the new blocks.

However staff there said they are concerned for other businesses further up the  shop-edged strip and the fact that the car park serving them all now looks as if it is closed.

This is where a 'planter' is going!
This is where a ‘planter’ is going!

Thanks to them l had identified the purpose of the square lumps of concrete that have also been installed.

Wait for it – they are for planters! Flowers? Saplings?? What is the point of installing giant cigarette ashtrays for people to also throw empty cans in! What a waste of money.

I hear extra workmen are being taken on to try and speed this project up but this is a sorry tale indeed.

 

Published by Richard Wyatt

Freelance Journalist, broadcaster, columnist and local historian. Director of Bath Newseum. Married and lives in Bath. Interested in local history, architecture and visual display in museums and urban spaces.