There is much discussion at the moment about the dire state of some roads in Blackpool, I should know my road is in a bit of a shitty state itself. But what I find hypocritical is how the Labour councillors are acting as though the roads magically went downhill when the Conservatives took over.
I am not denying that the current council is responsible for not repairing some of the roads especially when money is being spent in the wrong places like the disastrous Carnesky’s Ghost Train which even I am having my doubts about now despite having very much enjoyed the ride last Feburary.
But before the Labour supporters start crying ‘Tory cuts’ and all the usual nonsense, I must note how many of these roads have been neglected over the years by the Labour Government. My street (which I am not revealling for obvious reasons) has in a crappy state and despite some neighbours complaining to councils of both parties nothing has been done as of yet.
But what really annoys me looking back at Labour’s disastrous reign in Blackpool town hall is that roads that didn’t even need work always got resurfaced. Horncliffe Rd (not my road for the saddos trying to track me down) off Lytham Rd has been resurfaced TWICE under both councils and yet it is a perfectly stable road. On the other hand neighbouring Burlington Rd which is like the moon’s surface has not even been touched.
The big trouble now though for the council is that money is tight because of the dire state of the economy thanks to this useless Government and its reckless squandering.
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http://ipad.io/Hg7
This issue is covered on the latest program but there is also a 7 min interview on the Independent candidate for Fleetwood.
Please do have a listen and comment here
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Thanks for the link, I shall have a listen
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We have a similar problem in Wyre and a congested A585,thats been ignored by the HA,WBC and LCC.
Councillor John Shedwick has commented about it in the Gasjet,perhaps he should ask GARY PAYNE why he keeps giving permission for more houses, knowing the state of the roads and ask him why he doesnt use the 106 provision to gain improvements to the A585?
Its obvious, Gary Payne works for NPL and NOT in the public interest, but also we have a useless council that knows this and does nothing, cos it is also in NPL’s pocket.
See what I mean Mr Shedwick?
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It appears that Government grants are available for cycling lanes as well as pedestrian safety so our wonderful council will continue to widen pavements and introduce more cycling lanes and keep narrowing the roads,thereby reducing the amount of surface area of tarmac to repair in Blackpool. Perhaps cyclists should contribute for using the cycling lanes as it appears that the Government only robs the motorist at present. Have you noticed that they have dug up and repaired the road outside the Town hall,it is shortly going to be dug up again to make the road wider so that the buses can turn up Clifton St,Just shows how useless our Highways department runs,anyone with a bit of common sense would have incorporated all the work at the same time,thereby avoiding having to pay for it twice. Following a meeting today myself and others are hoping to set up a motorist forum in the near future for the Blackpool and Fylde area to put pressure on the council to start repairing the roads,in the meantime keep a camera and tape measure in your car and measure and photograph the holes, especially if it causes damage to your car,once we start claiming for the damage it is causing to our vehicles,the sooner they will realise that it would be cheaper to sort the roads out,rather than be involved in litigation. By the way we had a meeting last year with Peter Cross and David Pye of Highways,they actually said that they like pot holes as it does calm traffic speed down,that is the sort of mentality you are dealing with. Lets see a better deal for the motorists for a change,if he and his chums are not up to the job then lets have them sacked and get some one in who is.
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Another fantastic broadcast. Keith Riley sounds like an interesting candidate, if I was in Lancaster and Fleetwood, I would certainly vote for him over Grunshaw. All Grunshaw is interested in is political pointscoring and he is opposing development in Fleetwood like the Fleetwood Pier site and he is a socialist, no chance of my vote anyway. Vote Grunshaw at your peril people of Fleetwood. Fleetwood Pier is a bombsite, nobody plans to rebuild the pier so embrace opportunity don’t block it. Fleetwood needs modernisation.
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Hes another Russell Foreskin Stooge thats all,he may be 0.01% better than Gruntshaw but hes part of a council that is the problem,period.
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I withdraw my comments about Keith and , this guy may be worth a shout, after listening to him about the election.Hes standing as an independent.Fleetwood and lancaster is an idiotic insane constituency, whoever invented that should be sectioned.
Anyone who mentions the a585 will certainly get my attention as well.
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Sadly it’s not just a Blackpool problem. The roads up here in and around Edinburgh are a real embarrassment.
Perhaps again it’s time for this government to review it’s commitment to build roads in Africa as part of our obscenely large foreign aid budget and concentrate on building roads where WE need them.
Of course they’ll probably use it as another justification for the mugging we’re all going to get on 1st April when we’re robbed for another 3p on a litre of petrol.
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well said JR,both tories and labour have ring fenced the overseas aid budget from cuts, that is obscene and a betrayl of the electorate.
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Seem’s like a good reason to privatise roads.
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NO WAY! Having lived on a private road I speak from experience. When they get damaged you either:
1) Just repair it if it is your “section” which means it soon becomes patchwork
2) Pay for the lot resurfacing divided by the number of people willing to pay – because some will refuse to pay, refuse to acknowledge it even needs doing and then benefit from the repairs as well.
And when you are talking about “private” roads that have public access it is impossible to stop other traffic using and damaging your road – not so bad on a cul de sac where they are only there because of a householder but most roads are through routes.
And do you charge cyclists? Pedestrians? And who pays for the insurance you’ll need to defend any claims from drunks tripping up in the street?
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The possible reason for Burlington Road not being resurfaced, just like Arnold Avenue….
the main sewer that runs under these roads is overdue for replacement, by several years now. It could be that someone was using a bit of common sense initially but that has now run out. The collapses of the sewer are many and varied, it’s up to United Utilities.
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Thank you very much for that interesting bit of information. At least there is some kind of explanation.
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I think a real problem is the law being such that all utility companies can dig up roads at fairly short notice meaning repairs can’t be planned properly. Of course they’ll be emergencies where short notice is needed – but replacement programmes are not co-ordinated either. It leads to too many unnecessary roadworks (when more than one company could share the same hole – and the dig up and refil costs) and especially here where we have subsidence issues when the land underneath’s not compacted firmly enough it leads to real problems in road surface quality.
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I know one road thats in good nick and thats the one out of Blackpool.
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Why don’t those nice tarmac specialists at Hardhorn help repair the roads?
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lol lol !
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New candidate from New party to stand for same seat as Hamish Howitt
from the Integrity UK website Home | Integrity UK Party
“Integrity UK is proud to announce their first parliamentary candidate who will contest the Blackpool South seat. The seat is currently held by Gordon Marsden (Labour). More details to follow shortly.”
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Best of luck integrity here is my prediction hopes for the results
1. Conservative
2. Labour
3. Lib Dem
4. Integrity
5. BNP
and trailing at 6. UKIP
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my wish list
1) BNP
2) Integrity
3) ukip
4)con
5) lib dem
6) LABOUR.
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Personally I’m not really bothered as long as Marsden is out and Hamish comes last. That’s my wishlist.
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I cant blame you TB, lol.
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We are only small but we will try hard.
I should be able to tell you about the candidate wenesday pm.
I will give you a clue he is a local Doctor.
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Sounds interesting a GP or a hospital doctor out of interest?
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That would be two clues.
GP
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Well that rules out virtually any doctors I know. I shall wait anxiously to find out. I would love to vote for Integrity if you are fielding a candidate in Blackpool South, but I will probably vote tactically (nothing against Integrity) I just want Marsden out.
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Thanks for your honesty, I think this is the hardest to predict election I have experienced.
From the limited public contact we have had and from some canvassers from other parties I know, there seems to be a public hatred (not dislike) of all the main parties at the moment.
Generally it just one party or the other that is out of favour, this time its weird.
My logic says we will just about keep our deposit, but my gut says we may do surprisingly well. Only time will tell.
Once explained the no policies idea goes down well. In reality what can one man from one party do other than vote for or against something proposed by the majority party.
And just when has any party kept to its policies or manifesto, so why start Integrity life with a lie.
Don’t forget our slogan is “Truth, not lies, no compromise”.
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Hi Bill, any word on who the local GP standing for Blackpool South is? I am intrigued to know because I certainly think they are worth considering. We need a good strong LOCAL candidate (rules out Marsden by 250 miles), someone who cares about Blackpool (rules out Hamish big style) and someone who will fight for Blackpool (rules out both of them). Marsden has proven he doesn’t give a flying fuck about Blackpool, Hamish is just a joke how can a man who brands regeneration works a ‘waste of money’ represent Blackpool not to mention all his other faults. So the options are Doreen Holt, Roy Goodwin, Ron Bell (Kensingongate has done him no favours!) or the mystery GP, come on Bill don’t keep us in suspense.
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Vicarage Lane area???
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