Poster campaign over Darwen's potholes (From Blackburn Citizen)

I was thinking about this the other day.

Do BwDBC have their own road repair teams or are they contracted out? Contractors are often seen as a way of reducing costs because you only have to pay them when you need them, even if it is at a slightly higher rate than it would be keeping it in-house.
If there is a big need for road repairs (which there is) the council should be contantly on the go with it and employing their own staff to ensure that council taxpayers are getting value for money. And if works gets slack, contract 'em out to other local authorities and make some money!

Oh dear, oh dear ! Councillor Melia and the rest of the Con / Lib-Dem / 'For Darwen' coalition running the Council voted AGAINST a Labour motion at the council budget meeting (2008) that would have meant an extra £1m per annum being spent on our roads.
To be fair, this was pointed out in the election leaflets and the folk living in Mr Scott's ward (Earcroft) still voted for the 'For Darwen' candidates. Unlike Mr Scott they don't see road repairs as a priority.

its the we dont give a toss attitude and not the weather the roads are in the state they are in we have the worst roads in europe

Has Tony Melia driven down Harwood Street (in his ward)? It is diabolical and in spite of constant filling of the pot holes it still breaks up. Goodness I have been on about Harwood Street, Sunnyhurst Lane, Earnsdale Avenue for years and nothing happens - only the patching of Harwood Street. I notice that someone has been round with white marker where repairs are needed. The roads in question need a complete re-newal. Even David Smith's enterprise "for his constituents" some time ago in Owlett Hall (next street to his residence) has started to break up. It is time that some new material or
a better contracting team was found because at present the repairs last no time at all. Come on Sunnyhurst Councillors - get your fingers out (I'm sure Brenda Cronshaw can do it!!))

You're sure Brenda Cronshaw can do what?

happycyclist, Darwen.
Thank you for your interest!!
If anyone can sort out this Darwen Council Brenda should be able to do it. The rest of them seem to be in it "for the ride"
What is their agenda?
What do they propose to do?
One thing is certain - they are pretty anonymous!!

Oh, the hypocrisy of Tony Melia. The Highways Department could do far more if the Councillors gave road repairs more priority - and more money.

Last year the government gave the Council its biggest grant ever. The Labour Group proposed putting an extra £1 million a year into road repairs. Cllr Melia and the For Darwen Councillors voted against it.

The Highways Department would have been better able to get its finger out, if you had not stuck your hand up!

darwenroads.webs.com (send your pictures and I will pass them on)

amazed wrote:
Has Tony Melia driven down Harwood Street (in his ward)? It is diabolical and in spite of constant filling of the pot holes it still breaks up. Goodness I have been on about Harwood Street, Sunnyhurst Lane, Earnsdale Avenue for years and nothing happens - only the patching of Harwood Street. I notice that someone has been round with white marker where repairs are needed. The roads in question need a complete re-newal. Even David Smith's enterprise "for his constituents" some time ago in Owlett Hall (next street to his residence) has started to break up. It is time that some new material or a better contracting team was found because at present the repairs last no time at all. Come on Sunnyhurst Councillors - get your fingers out (I'm sure Brenda Cronshaw can do it!!))

Earnsdale Rd & Harwood St (as well as Earnsdale Ave pavements) are in this years (2009/10) re-surfacing programme. However, I've heard that there may be a delay into 2010 / 11 due to the Highways Dept 'overspending' this year. More mismanagement from the Council.

amazed wrote:
happycyclist, Darwen. Thank you for your interest!! If anyone can sort out this Darwen Council Brenda should be able to do it. The rest of them seem to be in it "for the ride" What is their agenda? What do they propose to do? One thing is certain - they are pretty anonymous!!

I am amazed, amazed, amazed you could back a gibbering lunatic who doesn't know the concept of democracy. Brenda is a Conservative, the person in charge of roads is a Conservative. Fact. Sort out what??? her own party!!!

More potholes in Darwen now than ever, bloody massive ones at that. And my car needs ANOTHER £200 pounds spending on for the buggered up suspension, caused by them. Less than 15 months since it was all replaced. Dont come knocking on my door at election time. Thanks.

Darrens Delivery Service wrote:
More potholes in Darwen now than ever, bloody massive ones at that. And my car needs ANOTHER £200 pounds spending on for the buggered up suspension, caused by them. Less than 15 months since it was all replaced. Dont come knocking on my door at election time. Thanks.

Why don't you claim on the Council's Insurance ?

Look on the bright side, when they build the bus lane they will resurface the road. LoL.

That's what the bus lane is all about, getting govt funding for pie in the sky schemes so that they can do some major resurfacing and improvements without spending B w D money. The council simply go along with the ****, upset a lot of residents along the way, in order to get thier mits on a £50 m hand out. The way of funding by grants from Europe or wherever seems crazy. If you put down speed bumps, red tarmac and stupid cycle lanes that go nowhere someone will stump up the cash.
If however your roads have deep potholes and gallons of standing water when it rains, sorry no money in the budget.
Perhaps the council could make a start by choosing their contractors more carefully, perhaps some company that know how to build roads that don't hold rainwater would be good. If you drive along A666 from Darwen through to Blackburs you will see many junctions / streeet corners with massive puddles, I suppose we could blame global warming for this!

Time for me to aerosal the road with white spray can. The guy came last week and it has washed/worn away like the road.
I note the white marks on Harwood Street are pathetic. There are none where tarmac was placed in and stamped on from the pavement (why?) job the other week. Shocking surface but god knows how you can wreck your suspension twice in 15months!
Are you one of the loons that races down at 30mph although your side of traffic has a lane of parked cars - so you should stop!

CapitaBackHander wrote:
Time for me to aerosal the road with white spray can. The guy came last week and it has washed/worn away like the road. I note the white marks on Harwood Street are pathetic. There are none where tarmac was placed in and stamped on from the pavement (why?) job the other week. Shocking surface but god knows how you can wreck your suspension twice in 15months! Are you one of the loons that races down at 30mph although your side of traffic has a lane of parked cars - so you should stop!

I consider myself to be a good and care-full driver.Clean licence for about 25 years. So please dont put me in the same bracket as some of the young loons that are on the roads. The garage was shocked as well when he checked my suspension, saying it has got to be caused with all the pot holes. I drive along almost every street and road in Darwen, and at night some of these craters cannot be seen, until you hear a big bang from underneath your car. To bloody late then. Try doing that to your car many times a night, 7 days a week.

Darrens Delivery Service wrote:

CapitaBackHander wrote: Time for me to aerosal the road with white spray can. The guy came last week and it has washed/worn away like the road. I note the white marks on Harwood Street are pathetic. There are none where tarmac was placed in and stamped on from the pavement (why?) job the other week. Shocking surface but god knows how you can wreck your suspension twice in 15months! Are you one of the loons that races down at 30mph although your side of traffic has a lane of parked cars - so you should stop!

I consider myself to be a good and care-full driver.Clean licence for about 25 years. So please dont put me in the same bracket as some of the young loons that are on the roads. The garage was shocked as well when he checked my suspension, saying it has got to be caused with all the pot holes. I drive along almost every street and road in Darwen, and at night some of these craters cannot be seen, until you hear a big bang from underneath your car. To bloody late then. Try doing that to your car many times a night, 7 days a week.

Fair point - only do 15-20k (Nationwide though) Take care on Wood Street nr where the new (Old co-op funeral place) car garage is. That hole will make one heck of a bang!

Also watch out for the one outside Railway Road Tyres. Massive crater, and still there. Bet a few of you have been caught by this one. God help a cyclist or any-one on a motor bike if they hit this one, you will end up in the road.

Darrens Delivery Service.

I too have been charged £225 for repairing 2 back coil springs on my Ford Focus. I have the car serviced every 12 months - it is now 4 years old. I am hardly a "spring chicken" at over 80 years old so I am unlikely to go at breakneck speeds. As I said already (above) the roads are appalling.
My garage immediately said the reason was either pot holes are speed humps - we have both. The car is due again for service next month and I hope that all is still intact.

amazed wrote:
Darrens Delivery Service. I too have been charged £225 for repairing 2 back coil springs on my Ford Focus. I have the car serviced every 12 months - it is now 4 years old. I am hardly a "spring chicken" at over 80 years old so I am unlikely to go at breakneck speeds. As I said already (above) the roads are appalling. My garage immediately said the reason was either pot holes are speed humps - we have both. The car is due again for service next month and I hope that all is still intact.

Bet you need some suspension work doing. Good luck.