Villagers are up in arms about the large number of motorists flouting a current four-day road closure in Ruddington.
As we reported last week, Clifton Road was shut to through-traffic yesterday (Monday) to allow major resurfacing work which is needed to repair damage caused by a burst water main earlier this month. Despite the icy conditions, and the fact that the old road surface was removed yesterday, eyewitnesses say numerous drivers are simply disregarding the closure by mounting the kerb and either driving along the pavement or going up on to the grass verge to get past the signs and traffic cones.
Old Station Drive resident Wayne Swift {who provided RUDDINGTON.info with the photographs above and below} first alerted Severn Trent Water and Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) to the problem yesterday evening. When the workmen had left he watched two cars and a van move the cones to get through. He posted on Twitter: “Some road block that looks like a scene from ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ – and they are also driving down the path to the right of the picture! It needs sorting before someone gets hurt”.
Matt Loose agrees: “My son was walking home from school yesterday and a car used the pavement right next to him. He tells me this happened AGAIN today. I’m totally frustrated the road is closed but this behaviour is appalling.”
Debra Lowe says: “You’re absolutely right. One van drove fully on the pavement towards us yesterday. So dangerous, especially as it would have been so easy to skid.”
Kyle from NCC responded to these concerns by confirming a request had been sent through to its roadworks team: “I am unsure if they will be able to get a new sign out. You may wish to contact Severn Trent Water who are conducting the works.” In a follow-up message today, NCC adds: “Our roadworks team have come back to me and advised that Severn Trent have been advised that the signs should be abundantly clear to road users. Disregarding a ‘Road Closed’ sign would be enforced by the police.”
Severn Trent Water then tweeted: “Thanks for the heads-up, but the signing we put out doesn’t tell the drivers to mount the path. If you are finding that this is happening, it needs to be reported to police.”
Wayne says he spoke about the situation to Nottinghamshire Police last night: “They said they had ‘phoned the Council with my concerns and it’s not down to the police to replace safety cones.”
Meantime, the tell-tale tyre tracks in the snow pictured yesterday show the problem – with Wayne reporting motorists again driving straight through the closure this evening: “I’m watching them do it now – 3 cars in a row. It’s amazing how no one has got injured. A bloke on a bike has just had to ride on the grass to avoid being hit – but no one seems bothered.”
Bev Stanley comments: “Selfish, lazy and ignorant drivers moving signs and cones. Road closed means it’s closed – it’s for a few days for goodness sake. Stay off the pavement, better still stay home, essential travel only and shop local, use your legs and walk.”
However, Zoe Allwood says: “Some people have to still work, you know? It’s put 40 extra minutes on myself getting to work!” Laura Khadija Bachik suggests: “Can at least half of the road be left open? I live the other side of the bridge and we are literally cut off from Ruddington. Just to get to village by car (because it’s not always that we can walk) we need to go all around through Clifton into Wilford.”
Paul Archer comments: “Granted, it’s a slight inconvenience for the next two to three days, however I’m sure those of us living on the wrong side of the bridge can find a way of coping. The work is absolutely necessary – and I’m sure if it was possible to keep one side of the road open then they would have done so.”
The roadblock has also deprived Ruddington of its Nottingham City Transport Navy 3 bus, which uses this route. It is being diverted away from our village altogether until Clifton Road reopens.
This evening Severn Trent Water has issued an apology saying: “We understand the frustration and we’re sorry for any inconvenience caused. Any closure or diversion has to be approved by the local council before it can go ahead. We’re very grateful for everyone’s patience and understanding so far, and ask you bare with us a little while longer while the works are ongoing.”
The good news is that the resurfacing work should all be finished by the end of Thursday. However, James Marshall is unimpressed, tweeting: “A total waste of time and money. They have only done about 10m – the rest is still a patchwork quilt!” Liam McGowan adds: “I suspect the road will require resurfacing yet again as these people churn up the tarmac before it’s had chance to set.”
UPDATE 27th JAN 2021:
Work by Severn Trent to partly resurface a short stretch of Clifton Road Camelot Street and Old Station Drive finished this lunchtime – a day and a half ahead of schedule.
Even so, villagers are wondering if it was really worth the two and a half days of inconvenience to motorists – not to mention the resulting danger to pedestrians – given the road surface at either end of it is still in poor condition.
NCT’s Navy 3 bus has also returned to its usual Ruddington route as of 3.39pm.
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