Litter bugs caused floods

Flooding in Wildern Lane earlier this month was caused by a drain blocked by a plastic bottle. See Daily Echo story here.

Hedge End Town Council has learned from County Councillor Rupert Kyrle that the bottle - which could have been recycled - caused a build up of leaves in a critical drain. The subsequent flooding caused traffic chaos in Hedge End and forced Wildern school pupils to use a makeshift bridge made from crates to cross the flood waters. Other drains have subsequently been found by the County Council to be partly blocked by tree roots.

It's a shame the County waited until the disruption had been caused before they acted because Cllr Norman and I reported last November that the drains in Wildern Lane were not working. A quicker response might have saved Hedge Enders a lot of inconvenience and some wet shoes.

"Contractors" to investigate flooded path

Hedge End's unintentional pond

Following my report on the state of the new footpath and cycle way through Greta Park which floods every time it rains, things might be moving. (See Lib Dems' New Path is a Wash Out)

The Town Council Recreation and Amenities Committee has it on their agenda for next week.

Previous questions about the path have been addressed by the Highways and Planning Committee, and I planned to raise the flooding under "Highway matters" at last night's meeting. However the deputy clerk got in first with news about the partly submerged cycle path. Apparently the Borough Council's contractors have been asked to do something about it and will be back on site next week.

I hope they bring their wellies.

This is an extract from the minutes of Highways and Planning containing the response to my question about the contradictory signs on the path:

Gavin Bourn, Construction Manager, Transportation & Engineering, EBC responds with regard to the signed route of Greta Park cycle/pathway. Although the route is off highway, it has been signed as a normal shared use cycle route with cycle symbols and the corresponding upright signs indicating mixed cycle/pedestrian use. This is a quirk of the sign regulation just to clarify that cyclists can also use the route as there is no corresponding symbol for pedestrians for display on the surface. Flooding issues are to be addressed by the Contractor next week.

Lib Dems' New Path is a Wash Out

Things they won't tell you in Standpoint and Focus

Proudly boasted as an "all weather" path, the Lib Dems' latest attempt to encourage people to walk in Hedge End floods every time it rains.

Extract from recent Local Area Committee minutes

The combined footpath / cycle way through Greta Park to Turnpike Way is an excellent idea, and was positively received by people living nearby.  It is also a much better use of contributions from housing developers than the Lib Dems' recent decision to invest £360,000 in the Rose Bowl boxing club.

However pedestrians hoping to walk from Turnpike Way to the centre of Hedge End without getting wet and muddy shoes, have been disappointed.

The slightest rain sees the path flood in a number of places, leaving slimy, slippery mud on the new tarmac surface, and on winter mornings dangerous ice.

Lib Dems increase travel costs

News you won't find in Standpoint or Focus

As rail season tickets go up by 2.5% local Lib Dems have piled on the misery for travellers at Hedge End station. From the beginning of February, it will cost £3.20 to park at the council-run car park.

The Lib Dems justify the increase as "only" 20p per day, but the fact remains that is an increase of nearly 7%, way above inflation. It comes at a time when people have been bludgeoned by four and a half years of Lib Dem and Conservative austerity measures.



Related blog post: Lib Dems 1 Countryside 0