Scale of A338 road works hits home at public meeting (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Scale of A338 road works hits home at public meeting
9:34am Thursday 11th March 2010 in
THE sheer size of the seven-month long rebuilding of Dorset’s busiest road was laid out at a public meeting last night.
The A338 into Bournemouth will be closed to one lane from September in both directions, and up to 200 anxious people turned up to see how they could be affected.
Dorset County Council’s project manager David Diaz was invited to speak to residents living around St Leonards after they were hit with preparation work. He told the audience that traffic would be offered diversions onto A-roads like the A31 but some drivers would still use the lanes around their homes.
Resident David Williams said to “hear hears” that the recent work on the grass verges showed reducing the A338 to one lane would be a “complete and utter disaster”.
Mr Diaz said it was impossible to build an extra lane because the A338 was flanked by sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Dorset County Council is betting on getting a £26m grant for the roadworks but plans to “push forward” with the work even if it doesn’t.
The meeting heard the A338 was built at the end of the 1960s with a 20-year lifespan and costs £1m a year to repair.
The council decided it could no longer delay work to the six-and- half-mile stretch between Ashley Heath and the Cooper Dean roundabout.
It will hear on March 25 if it will get the government funding. If it doesn’t, it will try to get funding from elsewhere.
Mr Diaz said: “We have done so much preparation work that we say now is the time to push forward.”
His models indicate a fifth of 59,000 vehicles that use the road daily will seek alternative routes. The council is also considering temporary speed limits on the A338 of 40 or 30mph.
Matchams Lane, Hurn Road and Christchurch Road are already being repaired over seven weeks from March 1 to make sure they can cope with extra traffic during A338 works.
Residents also said the work to clear the grass verges has removed a natural sound barrier. Sheila Young said: “Many people have already lost the sale of their houses because of the noise.”
Mr Diaz said the new road surface would reduce noise and he would take on board the suggestion of artificial sound barriers.
Comments(14)
TinyLegacy
says...
11:35am Thu 11 Mar 10
The irate commuter
says...
12:10pm Thu 11 Mar 10
Will we see miles of road cordoned off with just a few yards being worked on ?
We will see work carried out 24 hours a day ?
Will we see some thought going in to changing traffic light phasing on other routes ie West Parley ?
Reduce the speed to 30 mph !!?? - what a stupid idea - create even BIGGER tail backs.
I think I have a few months left to find a new job.
Frank2010
says...
2:30pm Thu 11 Mar 10
Why will not most of the work be done at night? The delays caused through verge clearing was bad enough. What it will be like when the works start one can only imagine.
Another Dorset Council fiasco in the making.
Bormuf Boy
says...
5:43pm Thu 11 Mar 10
ekimnoslen
says...
6:26pm Thu 11 Mar 10
But getting a house closer to place of work is sensible....won't have to use the road and save valuable fuel resources
dancingdog
says...
7:05pm Thu 11 Mar 10
But seriously, it really is time the cloth-eared twit was given his marching orders.
jonpds
says...
7:11pm Thu 11 Mar 10
What is the point in rebuilding the road as 2 lane? What's wrong with it now? Jobs for Labour voters?
We need more roads in the UK, and if we are too crowded, that is because we have let every Tom, Dick and Abdullah come to live here.
The lunatics have taken over the asylum.
mikesview
says...
9:15pm Thu 11 Mar 10
what a load of tosh
if we dont improve/widen roads in dorset and hants now ,we will be gridlock for years to come
get a decent person on the council with thought and future ideas
old git 2
says...
10:18pm Thu 11 Mar 10
when it rains, it floods, when its dark you cant see a thing due to the lack of cats eyes and in good conditions the ride is bumpy to say the least!!!!
OK, so there will be a few tail backs but the benefits in the long run will be worth it!
it is a shame that they cant make it a 3 lane rd but the SSSI is important whatever other people say!
Hickery
says...
8:01am Fri 12 Mar 10
Roginthesouth
says...
9:13am Fri 12 Mar 10
“Dorset County Council is betting on getting a £26m grant for the roadworks but plans to “push forward” with the work even if it doesn’t.
It will hear on March 25 if it will get the government funding. If it doesn’t, it will try to get funding from elsewhere.
Mr Diaz said: “We have done so much preparation work that we say now is the time to push forward.”
There is no doubt the road needs replacing, but I am surprised the extensive preparation and resulting disruption has progressed so far without funding having being confirmed.
We are just emerging (I am informed) from a global recession, with considerable national debt. Many existing roads are in worse condition than the A338 following the freezing winter, and local councils are stating they don’t have the necessary budgets for repairs.
Also we have a general election in a few months, following which, no doubt, there will be significant cuts in Public spending.
However if funding is declined, “we will TRY to get funding from elsewhere”
What happens if we can’t?
But if we can, where is this magic pot of £millions, and can I have some please?
gudmenrmist
says...
3:21pm Fri 12 Mar 10
MarloweOS
says...
11:13pm Tue 6 Apr 10
Why will it take seven months?
Get in done in 1 month, split the road into 7 chunks and assign each chunk to a different contractor. Rebuild all 7 chunks simultaneously and reopen it.
Or if it requires a complete rebuild, build a new road alongside (or on a better alignment) and return the original road to grass afterward.
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David Diaz at the A338 meeting
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ben111 says...
10:09am Thu 11 Mar 10