Lee Wood Rd, Heptonstall closed for major repairs

[classic33]

Local council(lour) not really bothered about Heptonstall. They/she doesn't have to travel through it.

Bikes may be banned in Heptonstall soon, so your cycling worries will be over. If they do ban them, bikes, I'll take the Brox up.

 

[Svendo]

Bikes may be banned in Heptonstall soon, so your cycling worries will be over. If they do ban them, bikes, I'll take the Brox up.

Thanks for the useful inside information. Why are they thinking of banning bikes? Is it whilst the diversions are on or permanent? There can't be that many cyclists that go through Heptonstall itself, and when I've cycled up that way there's been no problem.

 

[classic33]

Thanks for the useful inside information. Why are they thinking of banning bikes? Is it whilst the diversions are on or permanent? There can't be that many cyclists that go through Heptonstall itself, and when I've cycled up that way there's been no problem.

From the answer given, and I use that term loosely, it seems to be the fact that we on bikes are slower & are holding traffic up. Which is why I said I'd take the Brox, not a bike so the the ban would not apply. It'd be slower than a bike, but doable any day.
Hopefully the full answer will be given/known by Wednesday next week.

Points raised in the questions, put them in the posistion of being unable to not give some sort of response when asked.

 

[ColinJ]

It would be outrageous for cycling to be banned up there!

You can dismount and walk your bike through the small gap beside the fence at the roadworks on Lee Wood Road, but that is besides the point.

 

[classic33]

No, the bikes would be banned from Heptonstall, not the roads that bypass it One councillour feels we're too slow.

 

[ColinJ]

No, the bikes would be banned from Heptonstall, not the roads that bypass it One councillour feels we're too slow.

Whereas if you look at the hand-painted signs at the side of the road, the villagers think that motorists are driving too fast!

 

[classic33]

Official Response:
"Several million pounds worth of structures works are already identified and included in a waiting
list; the need for work at Lee Wood Road obviously has a knock on effect for the remainder of
the structures programme. The anticipated cost of repairs is £375,000 which will be funded
from the Local Transport Plan capital settlement for structures.
It is agreed that there are many roads within Calderdale that require attention and there is a
programme of road works proposed to undertake within the budgets available.
In 1995 walls were maintained through the West Yorkshire Highways and Engineering
Technical Services Joint Committee, which was established to provide specialist professional
services to the five West Yorkshire district councils on abolition of the Metropolitan County
Council. Unfortunately we have no records of this site visit and are unable to respond to your
comments
To ensure the safety of road users Lee Wood Road has been subject to monthly inspections
since 2001, which are undertaken by Highways Inspectors who have not identified any
subsidence at the location of the wall collapse. As a further precaution prior to the resurfacing
works commencing the wall was inspected by the Council's consultants on 24 December 2012
who again noted no defects at the site of the wall collapse.
These inspections ensure that the Council is maintaining Lee Wood Road as required by the
Highways Act 1980, and the Well Maintained Highways Code of Practice, giving the Council a
robust defence against any claims arising from the condition of the road.

I hope you find the above response satisfactory.
Yours sncerely

Cabinet Member
Economy and Enviroment"
Written as given, so any mistakes spelling or such are not mine.
They'd never considered the driver in the incident by the way.

 

[ColinJ]

It is interesting that the 'monthly inspections' found no evidence of problems but as soon as one section collapses, the inspectors suddenly discover that the rest of that wall needs rebuilding! Strange, that ...

It is quite obvious that the wall has been cracking and slipping for years, and the road surface has also been on the move. It would be one thing to have noted the changes and dismissed them as insignificant, but to not even notice them!

 

[classic33]

I'm glad I'm not the only person who finds that part strange. Almost as odd as working Christmas Eve!

 

[ColinJ]

I noticed every time I descended that road on my bike and I was usually doing 30-40 mph at the time!

 

[classic33]

I noticed every time I descended that road on my bike and I was usually doing 30-40 mph at the time!

Not that fast then!
It was a forward speed I take it & not a sideways speed?

 

[ColinJ]

Not that fast then!
It was a forward speed I take it & not a sideways speed?

Well the tight RH bend with its dodgy camber always slows me down a bit!

 

[classic33]

Well the tight RH bend with its dodgy camber always slows me down a bit!

See what speed you get when they fix the road.

 

[ColinJ]

I forgot to post this but Svendo's thread elsewhere has reminded me ...

 

[classic33]

Odd, there's no name to it. The name should be Collins, Barry Collins!