Working to cut HGV problems in our area and update on associated important road closure

On Tuesday we met with owners and estate managers of the Arnison Centre as well as senior council managers and traffic experts to discuss problems raised by residents over HGVs using Finchale Road, Old Pit Lane, Front St Pity Me and Framwellgate Moor and Abbey Road.

Residents on these streets are being plagued with vibrations from large HGVs. I have personal experience of the damage from vibrations with cracks in plaster, however other residents have far more serious issues with  damage to properties, sleepless nights as well as concerns about highway safety.

Road Closure

In a few weeks time, the access between Rotary Way Bypass and the Arnison Centre/Lidl roundabout will be closed off for widening of this area. This should result in an improvement in access to and from the Centre and was requested by us as part of the expansion of the Centre. However for 6-8 weeks from around the end of March we are going to find major traffic problems including more vehicles including HGVs coming through the Pity Me, Framwellgate Moor and Newton Hall areas.

We have asked for various options to be considered to reduce the impact of this.

HGVs

So for a while there will be an increase in HGVs, however we have a commitment form the Arnison Centre owners that once this necessary improvement work has taken place, they will work to ensure that all the businesses on the site get the lorries delivering goods to use the A167 Pity Me bypass and Rotary Way as it was originally designed. We will be monitoring this after the roadworks have taken place and will be asking residents to help us identify those business not adhering to the agreement.

Projects which help our senior residents – Your feedback requested

We are keen to hear from you with suggestions of projects and ideas to boost involvement in the community or events for more senior residents. At the moment we do a great deal to assist older residents with council related issues and community programs but we want to do more.

Amanda currently helps to run the Luncheon Club at All Saint’s Church in Newton Hall which provides a meal on Mondays to 40-50 local residents who are retired, with ages ranging from 65 to nearly 100!

We also provided funding to the WI for a senior citizen’s Christmas party in December in Framwellgate Moor.

We have also been campaigning to keep local health services such as podiatry in the area.

We also support all the community buildings in the area which have groups and access for retired residents. And of course we respond to many requests for help each week, ranging from issues which all residents contact us about to concerns with assisted refuse collections, requests for dropped kerbs and social care concerns. Recently we assisted a Durham City Homes resident to improve their mobility access for example. We also helped another resident get access to the Council’s Link2 bus service to get to hospital.

Let us know if there is something missing for older residents in our area or perhaps an idea you feel will help senior members of our community. There may also be funding available for local groups which aim to help older residents.

Council cuts litter picking and bin emptying without any notification – We must not let this continue

The Council cut litter picking and bin emptying a few weeks ago on Fridays and Saturday mornings in Framwellgate Moor and other areas.

The results are clear to see already with overflowing bins and a lot more rubbish lying around. We fought bitterly to get an improved service in the area, particularly in Framwellgate Moor which has such enormous footfall, and we cannot allow the Council to go back to the bad old days.

The current situation means that from early on Friday before the lunchtime rush, until Monday morning no litter picking is taking place, no bins emptied. It’s completely unacceptable and was done without even consulting with Councillors.

After raising this last week with the Head of Service I have asked for urgent talks to get the service reinstated. I have already had numerous complaints.

What is even more galling is that just a few weeks back the Council to great fanfare announced a major “Spruce Up” of the area which we fully supported, getting a bigger area cleaned up than originally planned.

Some of the gulleys and channels in Framwellgate Moor are already blocked up again due to the cut backs and some are now wondering if the Spruce Up was an excuse to make things look good before secretly slashing the service.

Needless to say, along with the takeaway issue, we will not be letting this drop.

New School Sports Hall well underway

The construction of the new sports hall at Framwellgate School Durham is well underway. The old sports hall was in dire need of replacement after years of under investment by successive governments and the Labour-run council in to school buildings.

The school secured a £2m grant for the work and the school is looking to open the facilities to the local community once the site is completed. Your local Lib Dme councillors are working with the school on this and other projects.

 

Wet feet, wet pram – no big deal for me but perhaps for others it might be

Around there area there are a number of places where walking on the pavement isn’t always that easy – especially with a pram. I imagine in a wheelchair or without sturdy boots you’d struggle to. Here’s an example:

This is near Darcy’s garage on Old Pit Terrace. I’ve reported it a number of times but the Council does not see this kind of thing as a priority.

Of course there are more pressing problems for the Council but I still think it should be fixed.

Getting your feet wet is far safer than pushing a pram into the road, but not having to do either would be better.

If you know of anywhere which is the same or worse let us know.

 

Spruceup aftermath – path disintegration

One of the problems with the Council, in good faith coming in and doing work which should have been done years ago is that you find out that perhaps better maintenance might have been cheaper.

This is the main path from Framwellgate Moor down to Pity Me following the work to cut the grass back to the original path edge.

I expected it to be a bit worn but what should have made the area look better has been commented on by some residents as highlighting the need for a newly resurfaced footpath and safety repairs. Trouble is, it looks like the pin kerbs at the edge of the path may have rotted away, and a simple job is now going to be more costly.

I’ve passed the photos on to senior officers at the Council, where I imagine the highways department is a bit upset with the Clean and Green department for showing up the state of the path!

Estate Walkabout – Lilac Avenue to Caterhouse Road – Photos and Action

An hour and a half walkabout of the area on Friday with Durham City Homes officer unearthed a wide range of issues to get sorted out most of them for the Council.

Various property repairs including to flats at Priory Road.

The aftermath of flytipping at Frankland Road garages in dire need of clean up, which has been passed to the Council’s clean and green team and Durham City Homes officers for urgent action. I was really surprised at just how bad this area was and will be checking up on it again:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elsewhere, it was good to see the old Brackenfield Road garages coming down. The new driveways our pressure helped to secure are set to be installed in the coming weeks along the road and the garage site will be available for additional parking too. (more…)

Can you spare a few quid to help Jade Gadd and her family

Jade lives in Newton Hall with her parents and has a genetic condition which causes her joints to spontaneously dislocate at any time.

They need alterations to their house so she has proper access to it.

We all see adverts and news stories asking for help for people across the UK or even overseas. On this occasion we can actually help someone who lives just round the corner.

The Council has so far agreed to fund part of the works through funding provided via the government, however the overall cost is far higher than the maximum grant available. I am currently pushing for further help and to get things moving. However we need to do more.

There’s more information on the funding page about the conditions Jade is living in and the work needed. The have so far raised over £8000 but need to get closer to £30000!

Link to fundraising page: https://gogetfunding.com/disabled-house-renovations-for-jade/