Minor road works sprouting up all over the place.....

[gbb]

Is it not just the usual practice of Local Authorities being desperate to use up all of their budget before the end of their financial year (March), knowing that if they don't use the full budget, the amount next year will be reduced?

I know somebody who used to do work for a couple of London Borough who used to do this, and he sarcastically referred to is as painting-unicorn season!

I suspect most of industry has this as well. In my former large internal engineering dept, March would be look at the books, see what we hav'nt spent against budget....and spend it...pronto.

 

[classic33]

.....as the financial year draws to a close.
Temporary traffic lights: directing alternating traffic flow.
Fluorescent men, mini JCB's, holes being dug and inadequately re-filled.
Seems to be a yearly ritual.
Anyone else noticed?
Or is it just my neck of the woods?

Can't they just use Hi-Vis like anywhere else. Getting fluorescent men in to do the work us bound to cost more.

 

[Dave 123]

Cambridgeshire?

Cambridgeshire seems to be one large pothole at the moment. If only our streets were paved with gold....

 

[Markymark]

Cambridgeshire seems to be one large pothole at the moment. If only our streets were paved with gold....

Our streets have as much as 0.5mm of snow. Well, so I’ve heard, it’s obviuosly too dangerous to venture out in such conditions.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

Cambridgeshire seems to be one large pothole at the moment. If only our streets were paved with gold....

There's plenty of money, it just doesn't get anywhere outside Cambridge itself. First there was a busway, now there's talk of an underground metro system. What's next, a monorail?

 

[Accy cyclist]

[QUOTE 5164044, member: 45"]You've made that bit up, haven't you?[/QUOTE]
No.Why would i make it up? It's not exactly a sensation. Just an observation.

 

[Accy cyclist]

[QUOTE 5164124, member: 45"]You've observed that whenever you see people working on the roads that there are more men in ties standing around than people working?[/QUOTE]
Yes,that's true in some cases. Not only that but even when there are a few "indians" some will be stood around doing very little.

 

[Drago]

A lot of men wearing grimy florrie's sitting in their Transit cabs, drinking tea and reading the Sun hereabouts, but very little actual work on the roads.

 

[Levo-Lon]

The "men in ties" will be civil engineers and the lazy "indians" are usually there for safety reasons, or are just waiting for materials or whatever, lots of reasons. Besides, lets see you use a pick axe and / or a pneumatic drill for a non stop 8 hour shift?

Well that's also bollox my dear man, not these days with the very welcome H&S .

I used to use Jack hammers all day but then it was my business and no one could tell me to stop.

 

[Drago]

I used to use Jack hammers all day but then it was my business and no one could tell me to stop.

Lots of people told you to stop, but you couldn't hear them!

 

[Accy cyclist]

The "men in ties" will be civil engineers and the lazy "indians" are usually there for safety reasons, or are just waiting for materials or whatever, lots of reasons. Besides, lets see you use a pick axe and / or a pneumatic drill for a non stop 8 hour shift?

Most of the digging is done by small diggers/excavators now. You rarely see or hear pneumatic drills these days. As for the lets see you use a pick axe and / or a pneumatic drill for a non stop 8 hour shift? I've done my fair share of hard physical work over the years. I enjoyed it and always asked for such,when less strenuous jobs were offered.

 

[screenman]

I saw a road worker fill a pot hole near here with tarmac on Thursday, the pot hole was back again this morning and the tarmac scattered over the road. It has been reported.

 

[classic33]

The "men in ties" will be civil engineers and the lazy "indians" are usually there for safety reasons, or are just waiting for materials or whatever, lots of reasons. Besides, lets see you use a pick axe and / or a pneumatic drill for a non stop 8 hour shift?

Last person I saw "swinging a pick", went through a water main.

Meant another lot had to come out and dig more up to replace the damaged pipe.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Yet another reason to be 'standing about' then, thanks.

No not standing, there's always plenty to do.
But as Accy says its nearly all done by machine.

Even kerbs have to be moved and laid by machine.
Its still a hard day on the roads but less likey to kill you

 

[Tim Hall]

Most of the digging is done by small diggers/excavators now. You rarely see or hear pneumatic drills these days. As for the lets see you use a pick axe and / or a pneumatic drill for a non stop 8 hour shift? I've done my fair share of hard physical work over the years. I enjoyed it and always asked for such,when less strenuous jobs were offered.

Look up "vibration white finger" or "hand arm vibration". You'll see that you're not allowed to use such tools for a continuous 8 hour shift and quite right too.