Of course, the answer is ‘No’. But to many it would appear – clearly – that they are as Thames Water are causing so much unnecessary disruption with their ‘works’ and at key times of the day and week. They need to do the work, but then they just disappear, leaving ensuing chaos. Traders are really feeling the pinch, shoppers are avoiding coming in to town as what should be an easy journey turns into a nightmare escapade.
Traders on the market asked this morning, almost universally ‘what are we doing here?’ Retail – the owner of Sound Knowledge told Marlborough.news that the shop ‘was dead’ this morning, normally a Saturday is thriving. One of the major clothing retail outlets told Marlborough.news that takings in the morning ‘were a fraction of that of a normal Saturday’.
And to add to the traffic gridlock and disruption, Thames Water have history of polluting the River Kennet, pouring lots of raw sewage into what was – and still can be – one of the country’s beautiful, rare and fragile chalk streams.
Thames Water have almost closed the town for much of this week. At the start of the week, three way lights down on the A4 by Str Peter’s led to The Parade being closed and queues stretching back up Postern Hill, and anyone attempting to drive into Marlborough from the South might end up waiting in a queue for possibly an hour or more. For some it’s been a bit less – 40mins or so – and they were the lucky ones.
This morning – Saturday 21 February – Thames Water closed off the High Street by St Peter’s. An emergency. Maybe it was. One.network describe it as ‘chamber and cover repair’ and details of the closure notice can be seen (and downloaded here.
Workmen arrived at about 06:30 in the morning, spent a while closing the road, and replacing the cover, and then ran away. Leaving one carriageway (almost) blocked and the road closed. But for how long? The order states that restrictions are ‘anticipated to be required for 2 days’, with the rider that ‘This Notice will have a maximum duration of 5 days’. So this could be – at worst – until midnight on Wednesday.
Did they have to completely close both carriageways? Good question. Elsewhere, and at other times it’s install a traffic light system. But not so today on the High Street.
Last month it was an ‘emergency dig’ at the junction of Salisbury Road and George Lane. Further chaos. Works were done (to the grass area adjacent to the road) early on the Sunday morning. Then left. Traffic chaos, further gridlock for that Sunday and most of Monday (sound familiar?). A question was asked to the Town Council – ‘What is the Town Council going to do about this?’ The answer was ‘We’ll write to Wiltshire Council’. Our Council should be there fighting on our behalf, the traders, the shoppers, those of us who regard Marlborough as our home. And if necessary make a big and loud noise about Thames Water.
But not just Thames Water, SSEN dug up the A4 by The College, between the top of Bridewell St and the College Court entrance earlier this week. That took two days, but it was a further day plus, after the works were completed that the traffic lights and barriers disappeared.
Wiltshire Council – what are they doing on our behalf? Will ‘writing to them’ make any difference? Experience shows that the answer is likely to be ‘very little’. We pay them significant amounts every year / month in Council Tax, we are their customers, they have a duty of care to us, the residents of Marlborough and surrounding area so they should be working for us
What next? Not a question of ‘If’, rather ‘Where? and ‘When’………
20mph limit – no signage – enforcable? Letter from Les Brown
