Forum for residents of St Georges Park and Long Leys Road Lincoln

[RevPete]

The LLRA has just been told that work is to begin on the footpath from Long Leys Road to Burton Road roundabout

"£10k is to be spent very soon on stoning the footpath behind the odd numbered houses from Long Leys Road up Albion Crescent.

Phase 2 up to Yarborough Rd top will be considered as part of the Community Travel Zone for Carholme which is going out to consultation with all residents before the end of the month - whether it goes ahead in the CTZ scheme depends on its relative popularity compared to other schemes."

The LLRA view is that the most urgent bit of work is the steeper section of the path from Albion Crescent to Burton Road but in their wisdom the County Council had decided to do the bit behind the houses on Albion Crescent. At least this is a start.

Please see my posting on the Community Travel Zone consultations soon to take place.

Pete

[john shipton]

Pete:

I have received a few telephone calls regarding details mentioned in the recent edition of the Carholme Labour News and this is this...

"£10k is to be spent very soon on stoning the footpath behind the odd numbered houses from Long Leys Road up Albion Crescent."

This part of the footpath is currently grassed. Like with what happens on the down hill main roads on St Georges Park, when heavy rain occurs, this footpath is subject to flooding and at the bottom, the ground becomes saturated and debri floats all the way down. This footpath has no drainage.
Now with stoning the footpath with no drainage system in place, when heavy rains occur, the footpath will become like a waterfall and dangerous to walk on. It will encourage cyclists to use it were some are already giving verbal abuse to local residents who walk their dogs and gain access to St Georges Park via the footpath.
Two residents who live at 144 Long Leys Road would like to speak to you about this used footpath and explain the situation in depth.
Perhaps you would like to speak to them to obtain a picture and history about this footpath.
They will give you details of other concerned residents too.

[deb]

I thought the stoning was to prevent the paths becoming the quagmire that they do i.e. to give the water more depth before soaking into the soil. They are not going to be slabbed over, although this would be easier for bikes and prams it gives the water nowhere to go. In the end it is a 'natural' footpath and a very pleasant one end-to-end when weather permits. We have asked for improvements because of the mud being a slip hazard - what are the suggestions before they tip 10K on to them?

[iggy]

can we ask for barriers put at the end of all paths to stop the bikes as we are having lots of problems with people rideing there bikes down the steps and only stopping when they hit are fence at the bottom damaging the fence and also hurting themselfs but wat would be the out come if a person was to be in the way lets sort this before we have an accident

[deb]

Letter from Robert Parker to Pete Pilllinger (LLRA Chair). The 10K was under discussion because it looked as if all the improvemnets were to happen to the least needed end of the path. This explains that it will be viewed as a whole but why the money needs to be spent now!


"On Monday I met with Alan Aistrup a senior officer in the Highways Dept of the County Council. He agreed that the entire footpath length from Long Leys Rd to Yarborough Rd Top needed to be seen as one project in need of improvement.

There is currently a £10,000 developer contribution which must be spent by the end of March (or else returned to the developer) and is allocated to the Long leys Rd to Albion Crescent stretch.

The cost for improving the remainder of the path up to Yarborough Rd Top is not known but estimates will be obtained this week. If the top steep part of the path comes in at a large cost which would make it unaffordable in the short term then work will be done on the east -west part of the path between April and June of this year.

If work to upgrade the top steep part can be acommodated within the budget then all the work will be done in the next financial year - by March 2009.

The work on the lower stretch would continue as planned in the next few weeks but on the clear understanding that this work is the first part of the overall scheme.

I said that it was good to see the footpath improvement now being recognised as being part of a whole scheme and would let the Long Leys Road Residents Association know.

I have spoken with Pete and he agreed that these latest developments could go on the St George's Forum web site so as to let local people know that much needed improvements to the whole footpath are on the way.

Regards

Robert

Robert Parker
County Councillor Lincoln West"

[kelly and chris]

I see theyve started doing something with the footpath . Which is good, but i would like to know how long its going to go on for, any ideas anyone?

Some delightful landscape company round the other day. I see they lowered the metal barriers to get round the back to do something.......... Well they trampled them down, and then just left them. Good job Lads!!!

One wasnt happy about something and was swearing his head off to another colleague.
Fine by all means, just be aware there may be children about that dont need to hear the words "F**kin T**t" and Bas**rd.

Im one of those parents who would prefer not to explain what one of these are to their 2 nearly 3 yr old

[john shipton]

Letters were sent to nearby residents on Albion Crescent stating that the footpath would close for two weeks once work started.
However, the letter from County Hall which is attached to the footpath notice post states on Long Leys Road that it will closed for six weeks.
Work commenced on 18th February 2008.
The contractor has said to local residents whose gardens face the footpath on St Georges Park that the work could be finished in ten days after it started.
So I can only assume the six week rule will apply just in case something else may happen or may affect the piece of footpath in question.

[john shipton]

The work on this footpath has now be completed and has been re-opened for use.
I walked up the footpath from Long Leys Road and met several local residents using it on Sunday, 9th February.
One resident from Albion Crescent had his daughter and grand children with him. He was near to the bottom end when I met him.
He requested me to walk up near to the entrance on St Georges Park and return back to him.
This I did gladly having my daughter's dog with me.
He asked me did I notice any pieces of damp and soggy ground on my travels.
I said that there were several and his reply was that this is due to the spring waters underneath.
He also said that the contractor knew about this and did not want to resurface where these springs were. County Hall was paying his firm to do this job so he could not say much. He was told to complete the footpath and that was that.
Now this resident told me that before this footpath was resurfaced, there was not much of a problem concerning these springs and surface water. The ground rectified itself.
Now it can't and already residents today (Monday, 10th February) pointed out that the bottom half of this footpath has become like walking on wet sand. Ruts and footprints have already appeared and the entrance does not look too good.
The cost I think was in the region of £11,000.
Another resident said that a similar style of footpath was used at the Bishop's Palace near Lincoln Cathedral. It did not last long.
Would other residents like to maker their comments and observations after walking up this footpath from Long Leys Road?

[iggy]

if that is the footpath what is the grave yard going to be like can anybody make city hall see sense as it is the same paths going to be used 3 days and washed away !!!!!!!!!!

[SteveW]

I haven't been along this path, but looking at it travelling past, it looks very much like Limestone based hardcore, which can get very messy when wet.

Depending on your buying powers it should cost no more than £25 per tonne. As a guide there is approx 2.2 Tonne to a m3. Two men and equipment to excavate and lay would cost approx same therefore 1m3 should cost in the region of £100 - £110 .It doesn't take a genius to work out that a footpath 2 metres wide and hardcore laid to a depth of 100mm, 1m3 should cover at least 5 linear metres.
So on the assumption the path is in fact 2m wide and the hardcore laid to a depth of 100mm, at the cost of £11,000 they should have laid between 400 & 500 metres. Anything less and the Council have been ripped off.

[john shipton]

Our local councillor Helen Heath has now seen the footpath.
This is a copy of her letter sent to Lincolnshire County Council which she sent to me today...

From: Heath, Helen (Lincoln City Council)
Sent: 11 March 2008 16:55
To: 'Dev_HT_GLAG@lincolnshire.gov.uk'
Subject: Message for Emma Brown


Dear Ms Brown,
I am advised that you are the officer responsible for the maintenance of footpaths in the Long Leys area of Lincoln. I am the ward councillor for Carholme Ward on Lincoln City Council, and I have received three complaints today about the work done recently on the footpath between Albion Crescent and St George's Hospital.
The footpath had previously been a grassy lane that got very muddy in wet weather. Now hardcore has been laid, with what can best be described as orangy coloured sand on top. The workmen advised concerned residents that this was the finished surface. I have been to inspect it, and the sand is all over the road, having got stuck on people's shoes, bike tyres etc. The surface is completely unsuitable, and is making a terrible mess. Please can you advise what you can do to rectify the problem?
Thanks,
Cllr Helen Heath.

[john shipton]

Councillor Helen Heath has now received a reply from County Hall.
See below...


From: Christopher Marsh [mailto:Christopher.Marsh@lincolnshire.gov.uk]
Sent: 12 March 2008 09:20
To: Heath, Helen (Lincoln City Council)
Subject: FW: Message for Emma Brown


Dear Councillor Heath,

Thank you for your enquiry regarding the recent surfacing works on Footpath No.3 between Lower Long Leys Road and Albion Crescent.

Having inspected the route myself following similar complaints I would agree that the current surface is unfit for purpose. The specification as given to the contractor was that used successfully elsewhere and so I am surprised by both his selection of the upper course of fine stone and the way in which this failed to bind together. I am meeting the contractor on Friday to determine what measures are needed to address the situation and I will of course gladly advise you of the outcome of our discussions.

Kind regards

[pete]

Just to clarify for anyone thats interested in the footpath, what the contractors have actually done is dumped a load of hardcore, rolled it and ran off laughing!! Whoever has done that should be ashamed of themselves. I have never seen such a shoddy job in all my life. They couldnt even be bothered to dig the verge straight on either side. After a good downpour the road will turn nice shade of yellow!! Thats one way of saving money I suppose!! God only knows what the cemetery will look like???!!

[john shipton]

This below was part of my response to what the County Council has done to the footpath between Albion Crescent and St Georges Hospital. This was copied from the my reply over Baker's Field early this morning.

"A number of residents yesterday and today have spoken to me concerning the footpath which the County Council has laid. And quite frankly it is a mess and with rain now falling this evening to whenever it finishes, this footpath will be even in a worse state. The mess has even been transferred on the tarmac road of Long Leys Road, and onto other footpaths nearby.
County Council has been called into account by councillor Helen Heath and whether the contractor employed by them has looked at the situation yesterday, Friday 14th March, awaits to be seen. County Council were forewarned about the water springs underneath by Albion Crescent residents but it fell to deaf ears. Tax payers will have to foot the bill to rectify the situation. But the question arising is what method will be applied to resolve the mess which has been created. No wonder nature is fighting back!"

I was asked this late morning (Sunday, 16th March) to walk up the path from Long Leys Road with a dog walker to see the state which he claimed was shocking. It was shocking to look at and the footpath after heavy rain late last night and this morning, is in a right mess. The top half has wet sand, foot prints and cycle tracks going onto Albion Crescent and everywhere. The same applies to the footpath adjoining St Georges Park. It is similar too going onto Long Leys Road, etc.
All down the newly constructed footpath there are places which is so sodden that the hardcore underneath the so-called compressed sand, have come to the surface. Water from the springs beneath is seeping through and the sand is churning up everywhere - all for the price of £11k.
I would suggest that residents and LLRA committee members see for themselves what the state of this footpath has become.
The dog walker from Albion Crescent said that if the footpath is tarmaced, the result would end after any rainfall with the effect of water coming down like a river/waterfall. For the water has to go somewhere!
Is there anybody out there at County Hall listening?
Will it be the same as with the Baker's Field to be used as a cemetery?
For what what is being sown by the two councils, surely residents will reap resulting in a right cock-up for everyone to endure now or later!

[SteveW]

Runaway the Contractors may have done but in all honesty thay cannot be fully blamed. The person responsible for Specifying the type of material wants sacking and so does the person who inspected the finished job but I suspect this will not happen as these people seem to have jobs for life.