Sometimes if you just ask nicely.....

[PeteXXX]

On a recent ride, see ~~linky~~, I had a chat with a couple of Council chaps in a path/road sweeper. I mentioned the state of Talavera Way in Northampton and that as a recent, really good cycle path, it'd never been swept since it was laid a year or so ago, and the grit from the adjacent road had not been cleared off the bike path since the road was planed and top dressed.. They said they'd mention it to the boss when they got back to the depot.

Today I popped out for a 6 mile leg stretch before a much longer road ride planned for tomorrow. Guess what?

Norbital Route 539 is an 18mile bike path around Northampton. This part is now actually rideable on skinny wheels.
Sometimes, if you just ask nicely, things happen.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Thats awesome

Be sure to write a letter of appreciation, it will make their day knowing they have made a difference.
better still I would write the message of thanks on the lid of a box a tea bags and biscuits (bargain from the pound shop or aldi) and run it round to the depot... I expect they get pretty cold out there this time of year.


Well done for asking, Good guys all of yah !!

 

[PeteXXX]

Thats awesome

Be sure to write a letter of appreciation, it will make their day knowing they have made a difference.
better still I would write the message of thanks on the lid of a box a tea bags and biscuits (bargain from the pound shop or aldi) and run it round to the depot... I expect they get pretty cold out there this time of year.


Well done for asking, Good guys all of yah !!

Good idea

 

[summerdays]

I do - I report things like overhanging brambles and potholes on Fix my street or Fill that hole as appropriate. The best one I have had to date was getting them to take down some metal fencing that was on a narrow blind bend, making the cycle path safer. Potholes I expect them to fix, with that I wasn't sure that they would understand what the problem was.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

[QUOTE 2894958, member: 45"]Great. This is what we should all be doing -getting something done rather than just moaning on a forum.[/quote]

This forum is specifically for moaning, thank you. That and asking for stuff to be delivered for free and advice about parking in London.

 

[Globalti]

I actually succeeded in getting a street closed here in Bury - I wrote to Bury Council and pointed out that drivers coming north up Heywood Street were cutting through the houses to their right to avoid the junction and emerging from Tinline street then trying to turn right down Rochdale Road, causing chaos to the traffic using the junction. Here: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Bury....591483,-2.284437&fspn=0.002359,0.006539&z=18

A couple of months later, Tinline Street was closed off at Rochdale Road. Result? Less frustration for me and loads of other regulars using that junction.

 

[Bobby Mhor]

The Roads lads are okay it's generally their superiors who tend to assume this position

 

[Globalti]

I think I'm the only resident who is actually bothering to do anything about the traffic short-cutting down our street. I even went to see the senior traffic Police Sergeant at his office, which thrilled him to bits because nobody had ever made the effort. Since then he's been incredibly friendly and helpful, as far as resources allow.... which isn't much... I've phoned, emailed and written letters to all kinds of people and my latest tiny success is to get Lancashire CC and Blackburn with Darwen to cooperate to refresh the restricted access signs at each end of the street. As with Dave Brailsford's marginal gains, I reckon every motorist deterred is progress.

 

[Arch]

Nice one. It is far too easy to just moan. I pointed this out at work the other day when we were getting fed up with some of the bags we use on our vehicle, which had worn through at the bottom, and were leaking bottles when we got them off to empty them. One workmate said "If there's the tiniest bit of budget, we should have some new bags". I suggested that we actually ask the boss to arrange it, and we did, and sure enough budget isn't a problem. He just won't know to order them unless we tell him they are needed...

(Mind you, we haven't got them yet, might chase the boss up a bit...)

 

[Stu Plows]

It was an awful road! Good work, I’m gonna ride in to work that way tomorrow now!

 

[gbb]

A good advert for just asking.
We often moan about this and that and often dont even think to just ask if something can be done about it.
A few years ago, they resurfaced a road near me which was bus/cycle only. When they replaced the white lines, they reduced the width of the cycle lane by about 50%, creating a dangerous point where oncoming cyclists met.
Phoned the highways dept (iirc) explained the problem...no problem they said, we'll send someone out and re-do it if neccessary.
One week later...cycle lane widened.
It'd have been so easy to sit back, moan and do nothing.

 

[PeteXXX]

A good advert for just asking.
We often moan about this and that and often dont even think to just ask if something can be done about it.
A few years ago, they resurfaced a road near me which was bus/cycle only. When they replaced the white lines, they reduced the width of the cycle lane by about 50%, creating a dangerous point where oncoming cyclists met.
Phoned the highways dept (iirc) explained the problem...no problem they said, we'll send someone out and re-do it if neccessary.
One week later...cycle lane widened.
It'd have been so easy to sit back, moan and do nothing.

Love it when a plan comes together .