Letter: No regard for the residents

Over the last three years, the councils planning department have authorised three new housing developments despite an overwhelming objection from both the residents and Tankersley parish council. One of the developments (the first one by David Wilson homes), was built on the field that was situated between New Road and Lidgett Lane.

One of the points raised during objection, was the likelihood that New Road would flood as a result of the field being developed. Ever since the development was completed, New Road has been flooded, closed and damaged on numerous occasions. New Road is currently closed again (as of today February 15) and has been for nearly three weeks. The diversion route up Lidgett Lane is completely unsuitable for the demand of traffic required. The road is dangerous and I have seen near misses involving pedestrians in the last few weeks.

As the council seem to continuously approve housing developments in the area, the traffic levels have subsequently grown. This makes the need for New Road to be open at all times even more essential. Yet, the work currently being undertaken on New Road seems to taking an unacceptable amount of time to complete. Besides the fact that this recent drain repair has essentially been caused by the planning departments decision, there seems to be no sense of urgency to get the road back open again.

I often walk down there and see nobody at all in the afternoons or weekends. Perhaps if the utilities company were being charged a daily rate for every day of closure, the work may be conducted more promptly. Perhaps the daily rate revenue could be used to fund projects in the area?

I have a number of questions below that I would be keen to get answers from the council on:

Why are utility companies or any other contractor permitted to dig and close a road without having all the parts and components to complete the job PRIOR to the dig?

When is a permanent solution to the flooding on New Road going to be implemented?

Why is Lidgett Lane seen as an acceptable diversion when New Road is closed? I thought safety was a priority, we have mobile speed cameras to prosecute motorists but BMBC are happy to close a road and divert traffic up an unsafe diversion route?

Why does every housing development get approved despite objections from residents? The council state that its in the ‘Plan’, but the community isn’t interested in the ‘Plan’, they want a council that actually listens?

When I rang BMBC to question when New Road was being reopened, I was told February 12. I questioned the timeline and was told that it was likely supply chain issues causing delays on the drain pipe. Again, why wasn’t the pipe ordered prior to the dig? The assessment could have been done using a drainage survey. When are we expecting to see New Road open?

Will the council consider applying a daily tariff to companies causing to road closures, in a bid to encourage them to plan their activities more effectively? Will the council consider a process of due diligence where any company applying to close a road must demonstrate that all components and parts are in stock and on the shelf prior to granting the closure notice?

I look forward to hearing your timely response.

Matthew Jones

Tankersley