So spring is almost here (even though you'd never know it with this cold front!) and as is a regular occurrence at the same time every year the road and pavements are dug up and resurfaced or repaved. Now I don't want to sound like a moaning minnie but you know what, I am. Every year for as long as I can remember wherever you may be the daffodils barely break the flower bed surface and the diggers are in place and cones multiply quicker than the glorious yellow buds can open.
You hear story after story about councils spending their budgets before the new ones come along but I just can't help believing this is just an old wive's tale?. Well I for one don't like to believe this be the main reason but it takes some pretty hard defending as history cannot lie. I would love to know why/who/when this is decided because all I see is constant disruption to the streets of London on a regular basis and just cannot see the reasoning for this constant upheaval. I can't get on a bus or take my car out without hitting a set of temporary traffic light, pot holes (which strangely seem to be allowed to get to meteor crate size before they are filled) or coned off lanes. Don't get me started on the pavements, which if you have lived in or around Islington High Street for the past few years is regularly having it's pavements dug up only to be replaced by the same paving slabs they had before (someone in the council has shares in the stone/paving slab business!).
I understand the need for renewal/safety/appearance etc of our roads and pavements but I do feel our council tax money could be spent a bit more wisely and maybe not quite so frequently. I'm sure the council would be able to list a million reasons for this apparent urgent upheaval once/twice/thrice a year but I just think with a little common sense this painfully slow procedure could be streamlined more effectively and at smaller cost.
The paving works along Upper Street in Islington have been taking place for what seems like 3 years, it's probably more like 2 but I'm just explaining how it feels to a local resident!. Not only is it the slowest process I have ever seen but for what gain I really can't understand the need when the pavements looked fine to me. Maybe the sun didn't catch the darker grey slabs they had before quite right, who knows!
Anyway I'm sure many other people have experienced the same inconsistency with regards to my rant, if only we were ever listened to, maybe I could start the first roadworks/paving disapproval campaign!? Maybe it already exists?
I shall continue to tut and remark about the ongoing problem until a councillor happens to walk past me and take me up on it........yeah right!
and breathe........over and out.
