person,
and you won't need me to fight your corner for further loos at West Amesbury - because, as you see.....I've done my best!Don't forget to sign our petition at: www.sh2.co.uk many thanks
Thursday 20 November 2014
Thank you Highways Agency....re: WC in the Fields
My thanks are due to Mr Paul Edwards: NDD SW Growth & Improvement Team Business Manager
for his reply to my previous tongue in cheek posting: "WC In the Fields".....He, being such a busy
person,
we didn't expect a reply and trust it was all taken in the best of humour......So! now all you folks travelling to the West Country and stuck in the queue on the A303 for an hour - or more, from the top of Beacon Hill to Stonehenge Bottom, take note where all the toilets are to be found from Mr Edwards letter.....
and you won't need me to fight your corner for further loos at West Amesbury - because, as you see.....I've done my best!Don't forget to sign our petition at: www.sh2.co.uk many thanks
person,
and you won't need me to fight your corner for further loos at West Amesbury - because, as you see.....I've done my best!Don't forget to sign our petition at: www.sh2.co.uk many thanks
Wednesday 12 November 2014
Campaign for Better Transport - out of touch?
My thanks are due to Tristan Cork e: tristan.cork+Western Daily Press.co.uk for his piece 11th November 2014 on the PM's announcement that the government will outline in the Autumn Statement, what will be done to correct the A303. Read more: http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/A303-plan-desecrate-Stonehenge/story-24508807-detail/story.html#ixzz3Iqfcg3Ba
Follow us: @WesternDaily on Twitter | WesternDaily on Facebook
However, there is one very large "fly in the ointment" in the form of Chris Todd and his Campaign for Better Transport who also have links with Stonehenge Alliance.
Chris, to be fair, certainly has Stonehenge close at his heart, but is yet another "desk in London" and has clearly not had the misfortune to join the end of the gridlock close to the WHS or tried to rat run through our villages to avoid it....this is his take on the announcement to improve the beleaguered A303.....
Chris Todd, roads campaigner at the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “The road building schemes the Government is so keen to talk up will trash protected areas and do nothing for the economy. “It makes no sense to spend billions ploughing more lanes of traffic through our National Parks or desecrating irreplaceable historic sites like Stonehenge. “These schemes will make people more dependant than ever on their cars, place greater costs on the NHS, while failing to tackle problems like the massive backlog of pot holes blighting local roads.”
Chris....no disrespect, but you're out of touch mate!
The four wheeled vehicle, since Henry Ford 1863 - 1947, revolutionised transportation - is here to stay, therefore improvements need to evolve along with our way of life! Has the Campaign for Better Transport been able to come up with an alternative to opening up the gridlock around Stonehenge, because we'd all very much like to hear about it if they have!
AA president Edmund King welcomed the announcement, saying: “Roads carry 90% of goods and people and are our biggest transport asset
and so it makes perfect sense to upgrade them to help the UK economy by improving journey times for people and business.”
RAC Foundation director Professor Stephen Glaister said: “The Chancellor collects more than £30 billion in road fuel duty and Vehicle Excise Duty (car tax) alone but spends just a quarter of this on the road network. If a larger share of this income will now be used to upgrade our highways, which are a vital national asset, then that is welcome. “This announcement has to be seen against the rapidly-rising population which will cause only more congestion on the roads unless there is significant investment in removing the pinch points.”
Follow us: @WesternDaily on Twitter | WesternDaily on Facebook
However, there is one very large "fly in the ointment" in the form of Chris Todd and his Campaign for Better Transport who also have links with Stonehenge Alliance.
Chris, to be fair, certainly has Stonehenge close at his heart, but is yet another "desk in London" and has clearly not had the misfortune to join the end of the gridlock close to the WHS or tried to rat run through our villages to avoid it....this is his take on the announcement to improve the beleaguered A303.....
Chris Todd, roads campaigner at the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “The road building schemes the Government is so keen to talk up will trash protected areas and do nothing for the economy. “It makes no sense to spend billions ploughing more lanes of traffic through our National Parks or desecrating irreplaceable historic sites like Stonehenge. “These schemes will make people more dependant than ever on their cars, place greater costs on the NHS, while failing to tackle problems like the massive backlog of pot holes blighting local roads.”
Chris....no disrespect, but you're out of touch mate!
The four wheeled vehicle, since Henry Ford 1863 - 1947, revolutionised transportation - is here to stay, therefore improvements need to evolve along with our way of life! Has the Campaign for Better Transport been able to come up with an alternative to opening up the gridlock around Stonehenge, because we'd all very much like to hear about it if they have!
AA president Edmund King welcomed the announcement, saying: “Roads carry 90% of goods and people and are our biggest transport asset
and so it makes perfect sense to upgrade them to help the UK economy by improving journey times for people and business.”RAC Foundation director Professor Stephen Glaister said: “The Chancellor collects more than £30 billion in road fuel duty and Vehicle Excise Duty (car tax) alone but spends just a quarter of this on the road network. If a larger share of this income will now be used to upgrade our highways, which are a vital national asset, then that is welcome. “This announcement has to be seen against the rapidly-rising population which will cause only more congestion on the roads unless there is significant investment in removing the pinch points.”
Monday 3 November 2014
Please put the 3rd December into your diary.....
A303 watchers....that date is already in mine, but then I'm a SAD individual, that when matters A303 come up, I want to know about it. This article came up in today's Western Daily Press from
Graeme Demianyk and whilst it may all be hearsay at this stage, it does look as if we are going to be told on the 3rd December, in the Autumn Statement, what will - if anything be happening to the A303.
The two coalition parties are now
"going it alone" in this announcement, in a bid to gain our votes at next year's general election! The story goes into print telling us there is expected spending of £1.2 billion for the A303.....even breaking that figure up into 9 parts listing the amount to be spent on each section requiring upgrade. A Stonehenge underpass is one of 9 proposals being discussed in Whitehall as part of the latest feasibility study still taking place, which should be completed by the end of November. There have been a number of meetings over the past year in Taunton - the first of which STAG were to have had a representative in attendance, but
Dr Shuttleworth was put off at the last minute, when we were told we would be kept up to speed by officials attending the meeting......to date, we are not aware that any information has come forth from those in officialdom attending, and we have relied on other sources for updates.
"Jam tomorrow" is the phrase used by Shadow Transport Secretary - Ms Mary Creagh and she accuses the present government of making promises they have no intention of keeping and that they have allowed road spending to drop since they took over in 2010.....The story can be read here:
http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Opposition-questions-A303-pledge/story-23876448-detail/story.html I've got news for her......it was her government under the Transport Secretary of the time, Alistair Darling, that in 2007, cancelled any upgrading of the A303 after spending £46m of tax payers money on feasibility studies. In the story in WDP on 1st November, Ms Creagh does concede we have a problem of congestion on the A303......and we're gratified to her for keeping us up to speed with this information, because of course, it had gone unnoticed by us locals!!!! She goes on to say that "congestion is acute at peak times" and when other roads close.....I'm wondering if she's actually boned up on anything to do with our problem on the A303 because if she had, she'd find that those queues are there every weekend from Thursdays through to Monday, 7 days a week throughout the summer and at all school half terms. I assume the "road closure" she refers to is that of the A344 which, for her information, is permanent......as in SUO.....and in her capacity as Shadow Transport Secretary, I do hope she understands what this acronym means! Ms Creagh uses the phrase "zero based review" (ZBR) probably an Americanised buzz word that could also mean "zero bug release" to any commitment of spending for the A303 or roads in general. If we do bring in a Labour government next May, ZBR means they will start again at base one and we shall be back where we were in 1997!
Please keep up the campaign momentum and keep signing our petition at: www.sh2.co.uk
You can also read our sister blog at www.sh2.co.uk Bypass Winterbourne Stoke!
Graeme Demianyk and whilst it may all be hearsay at this stage, it does look as if we are going to be told on the 3rd December, in the Autumn Statement, what will - if anything be happening to the A303.
The two coalition parties are now
"going it alone" in this announcement, in a bid to gain our votes at next year's general election! The story goes into print telling us there is expected spending of £1.2 billion for the A303.....even breaking that figure up into 9 parts listing the amount to be spent on each section requiring upgrade. A Stonehenge underpass is one of 9 proposals being discussed in Whitehall as part of the latest feasibility study still taking place, which should be completed by the end of November. There have been a number of meetings over the past year in Taunton - the first of which STAG were to have had a representative in attendance, but
Dr Shuttleworth was put off at the last minute, when we were told we would be kept up to speed by officials attending the meeting......to date, we are not aware that any information has come forth from those in officialdom attending, and we have relied on other sources for updates.
"Jam tomorrow" is the phrase used by Shadow Transport Secretary - Ms Mary Creagh and she accuses the present government of making promises they have no intention of keeping and that they have allowed road spending to drop since they took over in 2010.....The story can be read here:
http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Opposition-questions-A303-pledge/story-23876448-detail/story.html I've got news for her......it was her government under the Transport Secretary of the time, Alistair Darling, that in 2007, cancelled any upgrading of the A303 after spending £46m of tax payers money on feasibility studies. In the story in WDP on 1st November, Ms Creagh does concede we have a problem of congestion on the A303......and we're gratified to her for keeping us up to speed with this information, because of course, it had gone unnoticed by us locals!!!! She goes on to say that "congestion is acute at peak times" and when other roads close.....I'm wondering if she's actually boned up on anything to do with our problem on the A303 because if she had, she'd find that those queues are there every weekend from Thursdays through to Monday, 7 days a week throughout the summer and at all school half terms. I assume the "road closure" she refers to is that of the A344 which, for her information, is permanent......as in SUO.....and in her capacity as Shadow Transport Secretary, I do hope she understands what this acronym means! Ms Creagh uses the phrase "zero based review" (ZBR) probably an Americanised buzz word that could also mean "zero bug release" to any commitment of spending for the A303 or roads in general. If we do bring in a Labour government next May, ZBR means they will start again at base one and we shall be back where we were in 1997!Please keep up the campaign momentum and keep signing our petition at: www.sh2.co.uk
You can also read our sister blog at www.sh2.co.uk Bypass Winterbourne Stoke!
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