ECHO COMMENT: Time to speak up on how to improve Up Hatherley's roads
THE arrival of a new supermarket always brings concerns as well as opportunities for local residents.
The impact a new store will have on their lives – and particularly on the roads in the immediate area – are always high up the list of concerns.
The fact that many of those residents also have the opportunity of using the supermarket as their shopping destination of choice – and take it – is often forgotten in the ongoing furore.
The biggest problem is often getting the funding in place to get proper work done to improve the road system.
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In Up Hatherley, however, that is not the issue. Some £600,000 is in place, but how to spend it is causing great controversy.
The new Asda store in Arle Court opened almost a year ago. It was a major change for the area and the traffic going to and from the store was always going to have an impact.
But the proposals Gloucestershire Highways has put forward seem to have been given an almost unanimous thumbs down by the local community.
Everyone seems to want the traffic to slow down, but not by using the mini-roundabouts, speed bumps and chicanes that the county is proposing. There are valid concerns that work of this kind could simply lead to rat runs elsewhere
Give them a 20mph speed limit throughout and they'd be happy – but that is not included in the county's proposals.
What the residents must do, however, is have their say while they can.
The consultation into the proposals ends on Friday. As well as telling the council what they don't want, they need to make it clear what they do want – before it's too late.
SPENDING a night in hospital is not something that many of us would do out of choice.
But it's good to know that efforts are being made to make the experience as comfortable as possible.
Noise at night has been raised as a major issue at Cheltenham General and Gloucestershire Royal hospitals.
Now a scheme on two wards is alerting people when noise levels get too high.
And the clever thing? It's made clear to staff and visitors alike. Everyone can clearly help to ensure patients get the rest they need
Comments
by clairey2010
Thursday, September 06 2012, 1:37PM
“I don't believe that a 20mph speed limit will prove any use at all as not many adhere to it; if they were to then I would be in favour of it. I live on The Reddings and apart from the odd "hot head" don't think there is a problem. It is a busy road and, as a pedestrian, extra observation must be undertaken for that reason, especially with children, that's just the way it is unfortunately. The proposed "gateway signs" at the bottom of The Reddings I think will cause a hindrance as the pathways are minimal in any event, with there only being a pavement on one side of the road which is on the side of the road which would warn people to slow down when entering The Reddings. The pavement opposite is narrow and would only be able to warn those leaving The Reddings! Volume of traffic is the issue as developers have been given carte blanche to build. Since moving to the area, the following have been built: Travel Lodge, a pub, KFC, Asda, B&Q (plus some more units in the process of being built), a business park, 260 (mainly expensive) houses, and there is soon to be an industrial estate. An increase in traffic is inevitable, especially when the industrial estate is opened. We are expected to be pleased that we now have massive increase in inconvenience with the "traffic calming" (stopping) in the area. Time to leave The Reddings alone, it is getting ridiculous. Expect massive opposition to any further development.”
by cheltman1951
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 11:53PM
“Dave_t10,
Speed doesn't kill then, tell that to the parents who children
have been killed by vehicles doing more than 30 mph.
I know if you are travelling along a road and a child steps out
into the road there is not much chance stopping in time,
but travelling at 20mph gives a child more chance of surviving.
My son is a cyclist, this is the best way for him to get to work,
and if you have to catch a bus you may have to cross the road.
Not every body owns a car !!!”
by Dave_t10
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 12:46AM
“We don't want reduced speed limits either! Is there a problem that needs addressing here - because I've not seen one. Or is the money just burning a hole in some councillors pocket?
30mph is generally too slow for most places. Why do the council think the only way to reduce accidents is to reduce speed?
Speed doesn't kill, its the de acceleration that does.
Keep the pedestrians and cyclists off our roads, remove all road clutter, speed cameras and humps and what the accident rates fall.
A better investment would be to improve the standard of the road surface, eliminating pot holes etc, they should remember that its the motorist who pays for the roads.”
by safeandnice
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 11:42AM
“They wouldnt be happy with a 20mph limit, not afterwards anyway. They'd have complaints no one is keeping to the 20mph limit, while almost everyone is turning a blind eye to the 20mph limit. Complaints about the speed bumps. People stepping out into 20mph traffic - it can stop - cant it? Why do we have more accidents than we did before?
If 30 is usually safest in urban areas why not go for that?
If it's a proper consultation it will let you know the real pros and cons of each option.
If only asks your gut feeling on a 20 or a 30 how do you choose?”