Encouraginng each other to be assertive is something that is very important to me!
Relying on others can be very frustrating. People using their own initiative can often achieve far more. Self belief is important!
We llive in a town where this already happens so much . It will be natural for us as to do this more and more..
Last December Andrew Moss , Head of Cumbria Highways, made his promise that Union Lane would be completed "Early in the new year" : it is now June and still the junction with Stanley Street is unfinished.
It has still an unfinished road surface.
It still has no road markings.
There is now a ramp to negotiate.
Lives, especially those of inexperienced young children, part of large families with push chairs are being put at risk as they attempt to travel every morning to school,and then again at home time.
By contrast there are many over eighty year olds that are now very waryof using this intersection because of the chaotic situation left by CCC Highways department.
There is substantially more traffic because of the new estate up the lane.
Contrary to the planning agreement, Persimmons have allowed their delivery lorries to access their building site aggravating the situation at this extremely dangerous junction.These vehicles have stopped using their agreed access through the Health centre
Almost daily there is danger of a serious road accident with cars turning up the lane round a blind corner and meeting approaching cars having to negotiate past dangerously parked vehicles.
Because of the lack of road markings the end of the road is being used for parking, sometimes by large vans leaving visibility very difficult.
Several people have left notes on parked vehicles to point out the danger of the way cars and vans have been parked, warning of near head on accidents that they only just avoided.
Neighbours have been left to try to regulate this dangerous intersection themselves.
Local people feel deserted because of the disinterest of their councillors: where is County Cllr James Airey when you want him?
District Cllr Helen Irving and local Town Cllrs Colin Pickthall, Margaret Hornby and again Irving are unavailable.
This is a vary serious situation. Who is going to do their job and see this endless disruption and chaos brought to an end.
Are people that use this intersection: young children, the aged and regular road users being seriously let down by incompetent officers and councillors?
a pedestrian points to the ramp across the road that they tropped over
Thestate of this intersection :notice the obstructively parked car because there are no road markings
An email sent to Mrs Anne Makin in the Legal Department with copies to Carl Ballantyne in Sheltered Housing, Tony Naylor in the Parks Department and relevant councillors and members of BUGs, the voluntary Mill Dam Park support group: -
Anne Makin,
Carl kindly provided me with information regarding the responsibility for the fencing that acts as the boundary between Mill Dam Park and Mill Dam Sheltered Housing.
I understand from you to quote " I have the deeds which incorporate the area of Mill Dam (includes both the sheltered housing site and the playground together) and SLDC would be expected to be responsible for the fence."
I am surprised at your conclusion as I believe this particular fence is clearly the responsibility of the sheltered housing owner .
As the chairman of the group of some fifty people, known as The BUGs, my interest is in getting this fence replaced with fencing that matches the beautiful new fencing on the front of the sheltered housing.
The BUGs have been putting a lot of work into the park over the last a three years which includes the planting of bulbs and flowers; the making and purchase of four picnic tables (one of them stolen) and the repair last Saturday of a bench that has been derelict for two years now.
I am writing in particular as I have knowledge of this situation that goes back before the time that Mill Dam Park was there.
The fence is clearly the responsibility of the sheltered housing as the fence, surrounding the then new Sheltered Housing was there before the park existed. At that time in 1984 there was housing, a fence round it with what was then barren land with rubble and broken glass left behind by the builders who built the housing: on the very land that is now our park .
I know because it was I together with a small group who campaigned with SDLC at the time to give us the park promised by Mr Woodburn, Town Mill owner, who gave the land to SLDC for use as a park. Instead they nicked the land to build houses albeit sheltered leaving us with piles of rubble and broken glass which the kids cycled up and down over - as they will - at their own peril. Absolutely shameful behaviour on the part of SLDC - and we rubbed their noses in it at the time and demanded action - and got it - our park!
It is clearly the Sheltered Housing fence as it predates the park.
Could it be that you have come to the wrong conclusion?
I have put together a video that states our case which is on Youtube at
http://youtu.be/3lJVVeg4AOo see below
