Total Mayhem

In their wisdom, Derbyshire County Council decided it would be a good time to work at this exit of the large island at the end of Chalons Way into Stanton Road today. Traffic was at a standstill this morning and backed up into all the adjacent roads.


At the other end of town it has been decided probably by the local council for Erewash that this week would also be a good time to start to erect the Christmas lights on Bath Street. This week is also Fair Week which means that as from today all the roads in the town centre are closed to allow the rides and sideshows to be erected. Combined result - TOTAL MAYHEM!

People at a bus stop on Bath Street waiting for the half-hourly 23 service to Kirk Hallam were left standing for over an hour when I passed with still no sign of the bus. Don't get me wrong; I like the Christmas lights as much as anyone and the road works in the area have been going on (and off) for several weeks but surely the planners know when the fair rolls into town - it's a fixed time every year after all - so why didn't they plan their work to miss this week? It seems you don't have to be blessed with common sense these days to be in a position where your decisions create havoc for the general public.

Tuesday is the day every week when two lanes are usually coned off on Chalons Way to allow litter picking and/or grass cutting but today the cones were not there. Someone obviously got that decision right but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see them appear before the weekend. And then no-one will be able to get into or out of Ilkeston at all.

At what age does an angry young man become a grumpy old one 'cos whatever it is I've reached it. - Me