| Archive for talkclacton.myfastforum.org A discussion group on local issues for residents of Tendring District |
| pepsi |
Town Centre Traffic LightsHey, not sure if anyone out there can throw any light on the accuracy of this.Have heard rumbles that when the road "improvements" were put in place in town centre, sensors were also fitted to all traffic lights [hence the reason for digging them all up] and buses in order to ensure that buses would get priority i.e. when they came to lights which were red then lights would quickly change to green. Seems that now, however, the buses have all been re-routed around the new one way system in such a manner that only one of these sets of sensor traffic lights is passed by the buses. If the above is true then we have had a substanital amount of money wasted on unused traffic light sensors, wastage that has been approved by the TDC cabinet and the Technical Services portfolio holder. Anyone out there know if this is true ? |
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| Lin |
I am not sure about the safety aspect of the traffic lights for pedestrians as the green man does not appear high up like he used to.When I last used one of the new crossings the green man was on the post at waist height(of course this may have changed now) completely obscured by anyone standing next to it. | ||
| jollypops |
Probly has something to do with DDA and Children |
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| amenity |
Could fit a repeater, you know another up high? | ||
| jollypops |
With TDC involved do you think that they can do anything sensible! 
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| amenity |
Wouldn't it a good idea if our planners or road designers could be pushed about in wheelchairs for a few weeks to understand the requirements?
Then break one of their legs so they can understand what its like on crutches
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| stuckinessex |
town centrewhat a disaster i now avoid clacton town centre at all costs and drive to frinton to do my banking as i am totally confused by new layout and constant changing of access to various roads. Blonde you see lol |
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| stuckinessex |
Congratulations clacton is now a total disaster area and the town centre needs avoiding at all costs. Constant changing of access and the mess have made me totally avoid town centre at all costs. | ||
| stuckinessex |
Congratulations clacton is now a total disaster area and the town centre needs avoiding at all costs. Constant changing of access and the mess have made me totally avoid town centre at all costs. | ||
| stuckinessex |
Congratulations clacton is now a total disaster area and the town centre needs avoiding at all costs. Constant changing of access and the mess have made me totally avoid town centre at all costs. | ||
| stuckinessex |
Love to shop anywhere but clactonCongratulations clacton is now a total disaster area and the town centre needs avoiding at all costs. Constant changing of access has me completely confused and the mess make me totally avoid town centre at all costs. |
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| stuckinessex |
Congratulations clacton is now a total disaster area and the town centre needs avoiding at all costs. Constant changing of access and the mess have made me totally avoid town centre at all costs. | ||
| ivan burit |
Ever since TDC road planners played spin the bottle with the way traffick flows (or not) through / round/ by passes town centre, we have got brand new traffick lights that have had orange covers over them for months and months and months...
Now this phenonemenon is at two sites around town centre, but the most dangerous is the several sets as you approach the Pier Avenue central / Jackson Road / Rosemary Road.... Pedestrians really do not know what way to look before crossing that dangerous intersection, and with the lights covered.........Crazy.......... |
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| Lin |
Another dangerous spot is where Jackson Road joins West Avenue at the Hospice.Those driving from the West Ave area have to give way to Jackson Road ,it's a bit scarey there on occasions.
Also hate Rosemary Road as it now takes the unsuspecting completely away from the town and you have to drive right up to the top of Station Road to get back again. 
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| ivan burit |
Welcome back young Lin...
You are right about being directed out of town.. I think the planners thought that when you got to rosemary road lights, you only wanted out, but you know, and i know that if you cannot park, its creating more traffic by going round in circles again.. By rights, i have a blue badge, but cannot always park in my / our bays in Pallister road, so it can be another round trip.(i wont go into my health problems...lol..) As far as i know, my badge is not valid on my scoot..(but have been promised some bike parking bays outside the hospice.)... So its loose - loose situation for all matey..... Funny story time...friends of ours who have a grundy bin came into town only to find that its all been changed... I asked if they went right at the NAFFI....where..??..the naffi i said, that horrid brown building thats painted white and red in our TDC`s vision of the new town centre.... My friends have known me / us for some time, know me to be a bit..(wierd..lol.) so i had to explain about a £60 fine for turning right..... At this point they looked at me as if i`d lost it completely........... It took some time to explain why you cannot turn right between 10am and 4pm.... There answer.....WHY.............. WHY....is such an understated word i think........ WHY...................lol................... |
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| Lin |
I avoid that area completely as it becomes all confusing as to who should be where and when they can be there.
By the way Ivan ,that NAFFI building aint brown ,it's more like that stuff that newborn babies do on the first day......YUK  ...ask your wife Ivan ,she'll know what I mean ,also my apologies if anyone is tucking into supper whilst reading this.
And finally WELCOME to stuckinessex ,take no notice of that debug blah blah blah ,the message is usually sent ok ,you are not the first to get caught out by that one  no names mentioned hey.
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| amenity |
Good question Ivan, go ahead and ask the road planners, be interesting to see what they have to say. | ||
| pepsi |
Well I can tell you that our past and present portfolio holder for Technical Services, which covers things like roads and parking, denied all responsibility just prior to the local elections.
Mind you he also stated he was still living in the ward he was standing in when he had moved out several months previously !. |
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| Nikadi |
The new traffic lights are ridiculous. They're in all of the wrong places! If they're insisting on changing this town they should at least make it safe for us! | ||
| ivan burit |
HA..HA..HA..I think its part of the "master plan"...?...
If you wanted to pedestrianise the whole Town centre, instead of only just a bit of it, make it visualy attractive, but if it dont work, you can then say... OK, mark 2 version, concrete it all over now.........Hey Presto.....no cars.... Ok, i`ll sit in the naughty corner for a while.........lol... |
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| Nikadi |
*Grumbles* I hate this master plan.
It isn't going to work. The money they're spending on that bloody fountain alone could go to so much better use! |
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| ivan burit |
OI, what about my motor bike parking bays aswell...lol..
Been told about `em, but dont see `em.... Now i`m an old boy, but doo luv me toys.. I`m also an "not very well old boy" so cannot walk far.. (no, its not coz i`m drunk either..lol.. OK, i should use me push bike, got two in fact, but....i aint got big lungs..(been told i got a big gob..) who me...lol.... Been told to act me age more than once...mostly by me wife....lol..... Anyway, regeneration... Well, yes, you cannot hide no matter what you do i`m afraid mate.. In sunny Skegness, they are spending £650 MILLION....thats a lot of regen in anyones money........ |
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| Lin |
Alright ,I admit it,I am not a great fan of taxi drivers (thanks to a small minority of daft ones) BUT ....I do think they have a valid point about not being allowed up Pier Ave.
Our town ,whether we care to admit it or not ,has a large population of older folk ,with age comes a lack of mobility(not in all cases ,don't want to upset the active elderly ).
When someone of this age bracket wants to get a taxi to pop into town ,they want to be dropped off near where they want to shop.Why the hell should they pay for a taxi and have to be dropped off anywhere but where they want to be and have to struggle round the block to reach Boots or wherever they wish to spend their money. I am with them on this idea to blockade Pier Ave,it's their livlihood that is going down the drain and it just seems that hard-working taxi drivers are being penalised for bothering to get up in the morning and go and earn a living. Older people are deprived from shopping where they want in THEIR town centre. Pier Ave used to be thronging with people but have a look down from the Traffic lights that don't work at the top of Pier Ave and the place looks like Clacton Common on a bad day. Either pedestianise the whoe damn area or let us have the freedom to get a cab and go up Pier Ave. Still not sure if I can ride my bike up there so don't bother to shop down there especially as it stinks of deisel fumes from filthy ,stinky buses. |
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| pepsi |
Am off to council meeting tonight as I fancy a bit of fun.
Have looked at the agenda and some interesting questions are being raised including one to Councillor Shearing on how the traders were consulted about the road changes and if he believes that some of the changes are down right dangerous. His response should be interesting 
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| ivan burit |
With a rattling of sabres from the benches, its a loud Hear- Hear......
TOP MAN.... |
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| pepsi |
Well am back, will post in more detail under Local Authority Admin heading but for Ivan this was the response from Clr Shearing.
Question was Were local traders aware the work would take 2 seasons and what initatives had TDC taken to help them if they have lost trade. What provision has been made to clean the pavements and how often would they be cleaned. Does he consider the Ellis road junction dangerous and will he review safety concerns urgently with ECC. What provision has been made for those with mobility problems to access the Town Centre. His response. 1,400 letters were sent to residents and traders advising them of the re-generation plans and that they would not be completed until Autumn 07 and would therefore take 2 summer seasons. A 2 day exhibition was held which was well attended by the public. Traders cannot claim compensation for loss of business but they can apply for a business rate rebate. [my bit - apparently TDC does not get the business rates therefore it would not come out of TDC funds  ]
Pavements, they are not finished yet which is why they are already dirty, when all the work is finished then they will be a lovely grey colour and will be sealed, a cleaning budget has been allocated although no mention was made of frequency of cleaning Safety - Clr Shearing will bring up the subject with ECC but he can do nothing to change the scheme as he has no influence
The best bit - Disabled Parking Spaces have been increased by 400% [I kid you not, that was what he said]. Buses have been provided for Pier Avenue and at the request of the elderly and disabled, benches with arms have been provided so they can push themselves up. Final words were, we have done a lot for the disabled in this re-generation. |
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| ivan burit |
HA.............. | ||
| ivan burit |
Sorry PEPSI, for once words failed me..(that dont often happen either..lol..)
Many thanks for what you have posted.. QUESTION, is Harry Shearing Disabled..??? Does he not have eyes in his head, or is his head so far in the clouds he cannot see just whats under his nose.......... Ask him to stand outside our %400 more parking spaces in Pallister Road and actually ASK if they who have to park in them spaces find they are acceptable, accessable, and near disabled toilet facilities, and near enough to get to the buss filled / black diesel smoke filled areas that he has BANNED them from.. Its nice to have new seating areas, but not if you have a breathing difficaulty type illness as you cannot do that thing that keeps you alive :- BREATHE easy because of the amount of busses that stop and start in that area. Technicle point :- to get a mass = a great big buss, to move from standstill, you have to make its engine consume massive amounts of diesel to move that mass from standstill..... The downside is that massive amount of burnt diesel emitts exhaust particulates in MASSIVE proporsions.... NOW in london, SOON a new law is coming into being which BANS non-conforming low emission transprt from being in city central.... We have got the opposite... The single biggest polluting form of transport all concentrated in one area, that very area that most disabled persons cannot access....... Even the brain dead cannot fail to see that if you are disabled, you need to be taken to the very central area for going there.....the shops.... You cannot get there in a taxi... You cannot get there in a car... You can get there in a buss ..IF you can stand for ages waiting for one, if you can walk from your home to an accessable buss stop in the rain, in the cold, or in the burning sun..(one day)... Then after you have walked around the shops its reverse just to get home.... OK, then try that if you are in a wheel chair .....DOOOOOHHHH never thought of that......DOOOHHHH........... As the man with two hats sits and shakes his head in total disbelief at the complete stupidity at the brain dead unleaders of our disapearing down its own plug hole council............ HOW ELSE CAN I PUT IT THAT MAKES SENCE.........YOU CANNOT........ |
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| amenity |
Ivan's right about the fuel consumption some HGV's while accelerating do one mile to the gallon.
I should bus engines are comparable. Particulate matter is so small it can get to the bottom of the lung avoiding the bodies defences. PM is also carcinogenic. |
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| ivan burit |
OK, i`m orf me soap box now....
BUT, the only way to stop all the residents and what little tourists we get from being fatally poisoned while they are knowingly being left to sit in a toxic filled airbourne environment, will be to scrap any old buss that wants to access our "new" town centre, and replace our aging antiquated busses with new legal non polluting type thats the only buss / lorry / truck thats able to drive into city centres.. I also know that most older "black cab taxis will NOT pass future particulate emmision tests after they have had retro fitted £2.5,000 emission exhausts fitted..REF= public carriage office |
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| pepsi |
Don't worry Ivan, the whole meeting was very entertaining. If anyone is interested, details of meetings, their Agendas and eventually the minutes of the meetings are posted here http://195.99.151.50/meetings_list.asp Well worth checking out , especially for the Council meetings as you can see what motions will be raised and go if you have an interest in them, I am now waiting for the minutes to be posted to see how much is left out. Read the report in Clacton Gazette today, very disappointing as it only referred to the Conservative attempt to increase their allowances as a shadow cabinet - not a good move at this time, but nothing mentioned about the outcome of the motions raised or that many of them were related to our young people in Tendring as a district and that they were all opposed by the current EBC [Everything But Conservative] administration, one does wonder if the Gazette may be a teeny bit biased
Did find out though how the increase of 400% in terms of disabled parking bays gets calculated. For example, you have a parking bay, drivers are only allowed a maximum of 2 hours parking so in an eight hour day you can get 4 cars in it and suddenly your one parking bay becomes 4 parking bays. Neat hey . |
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| Lin |
Very good letter in this weks Clacton Gazette regarding the town centre and how it is affecting local traders.Wriiten by Cyril Pettican from the Linen Shop ,it is articulate and to the point ,he has some very valid ideas about the parking situation .
It would be nice if the Council took a bit of advice from this chap ,but I expect they would know far more than a mere trader who has been in the business in Clacton for over 40 years
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