It’s hard to believe that half the year has slipped
passed already. I was recently recalling what has happened to me in the first
half of the year and generally taking stock of things.
The unseasonal torrential rain recently that ruined
my roses and knocked off my hanging baskets; the scorching hot
sun of April that brought the pear blossom out too soon, only to be frozen by a
killer north wind that has left me ‘pear-less’ this summer.
But worst of all was the manmade problem of ‘those’ horrendous
road works in the middle of town between November and March. What trouble and
strife they caused!
It’s fair to say that no one was informed that the
road was to be dug up in the manner it was, to create such a farcical
monstrosity: two mini-roundabouts with a zebra crossing bang in the middle.
Who, why and are they mad comes to mind.
However, worse was the traffic management? I recall
that some mornings during the rush hour, if 6.30am can creatively be called the
rush hour, a snake of car lights could be seen as far north as the military
cemetery in one direction and to St.Marys church to the south. Frustration was
abound and complaints numerous.
But what I vividly remember was the obscene
inactivity of the work site. If anyone was actually working, which did not
appear often, it was an odd job chappie with a cigarette and mug of tea. I lost
count of the times I walked or drove by when there was nobody working at
all and even the traffic lights regularly gave up the ghost!
So can you imagine my horror this week when in the
post there was notification from Mouchelparkman that as part of a countrywide
assessment programme the bridge by the Ram junction (A338/A3026) has been deemed
sub-standard and is to be replaced. What it is replaced with is anyone’s guess!
But I fear a serious case of dẻjả vu!
This time it is important that plans are circulated, inspected
and traffic management strategy discussed, as to experience another five
months of gridlock is totally inconceivable and simply unfair on everyone.
Church Mag June 2007
