An outrageous waste of public money

'A Little Bit of Stone' website is carrying a very interesting story about the recent Christchurch Way alterations. In particular, the article quotes the County Council's response to a recent Freedom of Information request asking about costs and consultation. And very interesting reading it makes! Take a look to see what I mean.

Firstly, there is an admission that no consultation was carried out before the trial scheme was implemented. There's a 'fob off' that there was a 'discussion' with the local elected member. This is of course, Cllr. Philip Jones, who has crusaded for this scheme from day one. The reply also says that there was a discussion with Stone Town Council. Well, I was on the council until May and can vouch for the fact that no proposal was ever discussed. And having spoken to a current councillor, I am assured that no mention has since been made in Council.

Next the answer explains that, to date, a total of £20,000 has been spent on this trial.  Yes £20,000! When I was a councillor we often asked for Highways to carry out urgent works. What was the stock response?  "Sorry, we have no budget"

And then the response makes the most damaging admission of all. No Road Safety Audit was ever carried out before the existing crossing was replaced by the temporary one above Mill Street. On that admission alone the officer who authorised the scheme should be sacked immediately. Pedestrians are now herded by temporary barriers to cross the  unprotected Mill Street junction to use the temporary crossing. Never in a month of Sundays should this arrangement pass a Road Safety Audit. Pedestrians are crossing Mill Street around a blind corner at a point where cars are approaching on a down hill slope. And if the solution to that is the installation of another set of traffic lights to control the crossing across Mill Street, then the whole object of the exercise (i.e. to avoid queues of vehicles waiting to get out of Morrison's car park) is defeated.

Finally, what value can be placed on the 'trial? It is being held in summer weather. It is being held in the school holidays. It has been held with no consultation.It has been conducted with no Safety Audit. It is being held prior to Morrisons introducing a Pay and Display scheme on their car park. And nobody has yet raised the impact of this scheme on the High Street. Will people bother to cross the road into town if they have to negotiate all the obstacles the scheme places in their way?

Whoever submitted the FoI request deserves our thanks. The response has revealed what a shambles this scheme has been from the start. The sooner it is scrapped the better. Enough council tax money has been wasted already.