Letter 26th September 2010

To DivisionalHighways Manager responding to previous post contents.

Your letter dated 24th September 2010 refers. Firstly I would like to acknowledge the fact that your communication was the first in the exchanges in connection with these matters between myself and Lincolnshire County Council and also South Holland District Council where I have not been treated in terms commensurate with my being something unpleasant on the underside of a shoe – a small but nonetheless appreciated step in the right direction. Unfortunately I find myself coming to the conclusion that that is its one redeeming feature and I will set out the reasons for that observation.

• The speed limit review that is currently scheduled for beyond 2011 in the case of West Drove South in actuality could be a year or 2 or more later, in fact it might never see the light of day. That is taking a very real risk with a potentially serious traffic hazard that has been presented to users of this road particularly in coming from its northern end where considerable foliage obscures a new development of affordable homes until the road user is almost upon them but even if the foliage were to be removed entirely the high fence that has been erected is a problem of equal proportions. In fact, as I compose this letter, the 40 mph limit sign facing traffic in this direction prior to the new development is obscured by foliage.

I accept reviews are necessary however in this instance where there is a new hazard being introduced it warrants an immediate review.

• The consultation process being lengthy, as you convey, therefore makes it all the more necessary that it be started NOW in order to protect the potentially significant number of children these affordable homes are expected to cater for in the months ahead.

• My comparison with the Wisbech Road in Kings Lynn indeed is comparing chalk with cheese save for 2 extremely important points that cannot be simply dismissed in the manner you choose. I would make the observation that were Lincolnshire County Council responsible for this particular road the 20mph limit would not be imposed and perhaps the speed humps too might not have been installed – your comment on that would be of interest to me!

The first issue where the comparison has merit is that the view that drivers and pedestrians have of one another is excellent on Wisbech Road – a wide vista with buildings set back appreciably along a 2 lane road with substantial pavements along both sides of the road and excellent street lighting AND YET the authority responsible still has the temerity to impose a 20mph limit AND speed humps. And, I repeat, that in this situation that would not happen if this road were in Lincolnshire. So what are the real issues here? Financial? Largesse? Cultural? Political? Yet we find that a single track country lane in Lincolnshire with no street lights (bar 1 which barely illuminates itself and is non-strategically placed), currently no footpath, an obscure development of affordable family homes can maintain a 40mph restriction!

So we come to the other big issue that really doesn’t seem to exercise people as perhaps it should and that is exemplified by http://www.roadsafetyanalysis.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Child-Casualty-Report-2010.pdf
I am concerned about child safety. I am perhaps more attuned to the risks than many through the work & training that my wife and I do. I do find it disheartening that, to put it bluntly, children in Lincolnshire have a higher chance of being involved in a road accident than, for example, Norfolk. If that statistic were to start taking hold in the psyche of parents might it not have a detrimental effect in a county where your council leader already has concerns about the disproportionate numbers of elderly people moving to the county. Is this report not indicative of the depth of seriousness that differing authorities take in road safety? If not then what is the point of the report?

• These 6 houses each built, according to signage at the site, to house 5 people could therefore potentially hold 18 or more children. I cannot conceive of a housing association NOT applying strict letting conditions that will maintain FULL utilisation of the property’s designated capacity. That I believe in most people’s books would be tantamount to urbanisation!