[Travel] A27 Patcham Eastbound

[Papa Lazarou]

Don’t forget to start a thread on here titled “boycott” and then nothing referring to it in the post

I'll title it "Road Boycott?"

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Sat at home yesterday (Wed 23rd) and the local traffic report came on the radio. A27 EB, A27 WB both at the A23 jct. A23 NB same area, A23 SB same area, A27 Southwick, A27 WB Falmer.
My guess is the guy doing it is just reading off the screen traffic movement, no idea of the truth behind this chaos.
I drive into Brighton via Lewes Road and see the queue starting just beyond this exit, crazy.

During the week there are proper travel reporters working for BBC local radio but the weekend it seems that it is just the presenter reading from a general update they get from somewhere which doesn't often have any resemblance to what is really happening.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

But why not just get it done? What's with making a plan to take weeks and weeks to complete the work? Just get it done. There's so much resurfacing required throughout the City and the Country more broadly. They should be rolling in, pitching up and getting the work done and moving onto the next job. It's ridiculous how much time all the various jobs are taking.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'just get it done'. Do you think they are dragging it out for it to take longer than it needs to? How long do you think it should take? Are you suggesting the workers should operate 24/7?

I would imagine restrictions such as cost/budgets, resources and scheduling have an impact in timescales, if that helps...

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'just get it done'. Do you think they are dragging it out for it to take longer than it needs to? How long do you think it should take? Are you suggesting the workers should operate 24/7?

I would imagine restrictions such as cost/budgets, resources and scheduling have an impact in timescales, if that helps...

I think they should prioritise roadworks and 'get them done'. It's ridiculous how many are set up with little or no work being done for days on end. It would massively help productivity for the country as well.

 

[Withdean South Stand]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'just get it done'. Do you think they are dragging it out for it to take longer than it needs to? How long do you think it should take? Are you suggesting the workers should operate 24/7?

I would imagine restrictions such as cost/budgets, resources and scheduling have an impact in timescales, if that helps...

I mean set up, do the work and get out of there. They absolutely are dragging it out longer than is necessary because everyone is earning from it. I've been involved in this kind of project and of course there are challenges, you're working to multiple people's timelines and getting everything lined up is challenging and sometimes you encounter more problems than you're expecting - that's fine and normal. But this feels like they're setting up and dragging their heels on doing the actual work. Unless I'm missing something, this is just a resurfacing and that doesn't need a huge amount of co-ordination across different teams/companies.

I've worked on projects where the cones are on hire, you've got the guys going in and ripping up the ground for the next crew to go in and do their bit, then another crew might get in the mix and so on. Those drag on because you can't always line everything up perfectly but if it's a resurfacing you can just go in and get that done if you want to but they usually don't because you don't earn as much. My point would be that there are so many jobs that need doing that you don't have to drag your heels at each job.

Ultimately, get on with it and reduce the disruption.

 

[Chicken Run]

I mean set up, do the work and get out of there. They absolutely are dragging it out longer than is necessary because everyone is earning from it. I've been involved in this kind of project and of course there are challenges, you're working to multiple people's timelines and getting everything lined up is challenging and sometimes you encounter more problems than you're expecting - that's fine and normal. But this feels like they're setting up and dragging their heels on doing the actual work. Unless I'm missing something, this is just a resurfacing and that doesn't need a huge amount of co-ordination across different teams/companies.

I've worked on projects where the cones are on hire, you've got the guys going in and ripping up the ground for the next crew to go in and do their bit, then another crew might get in the mix and so on. Those drag on because you can't always line everything up perfectly but if it's a resurfacing you can just go in and get that done if you want to but they usually don't because you don't earn as much. My point would be that there are so many jobs that need doing that you don't have to drag your heels at each job.

Ultimately, get on with it and reduce the disruption.

You’ll never see the above but just to satisfy my own weird karma paybacks if i’m out on the road and find myself in front of Edburton, Dance, Clancy, SGN Southern water DJ Utilitys and anyone else who looks like they are part of a traffic disruption team, including those nods delivering the temporary traffic lights, i will drive 5mph less than the speed limit im in

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I mean set up, do the work and get out of there. They absolutely are dragging it out longer than is necessary because everyone is earning from it. I've been involved in this kind of project and of course there are challenges, you're working to multiple people's timelines and getting everything lined up is challenging and sometimes you encounter more problems than you're expecting - that's fine and normal. But this feels like they're setting up and dragging their heels on doing the actual work. Unless I'm missing something, this is just a resurfacing and that doesn't need a huge amount of co-ordination across different teams/companies.

I've worked on projects where the cones are on hire, you've got the guys going in and ripping up the ground for the next crew to go in and do their bit, then another crew might get in the mix and so on. Those drag on because you can't always line everything up perfectly but if it's a resurfacing you can just go in and get that done if you want to but they usually don't because you don't earn as much. My point would be that there are so many jobs that need doing that you don't have to drag your heels at each job.

Ultimately, get on with it and reduce the disruption.

You're missing something: 'We need to do drainage, barrier replacement and resurfacing works on the A27 between the Patcham Interchange and A27 Lewes Road.'

I get what you're saying but, ultimately, I don't think the prime motivation of the contractors is to take longer than is possible. I've talked to many people about projects like this one and, surprise surprise, there's a lot more to it than "get in, do the work and fack off ASAP".

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

It's good that they've slowed the traffic right down around those roadworks

Any more speed and the traffic noise might wake the workmen napping in their cabs

 

[Withdean South Stand]

You're missing something: 'We need to do drainage, barrier replacement and resurfacing works on the A27 between the Patcham Interchange and A27 Lewes Road.'

I get what you're saying but, ultimately, I don't think the prime motivation of the contractors is to take longer than is possible. I've talked to many people about projects like this one and, surprise surprise, there's a lot more to it than "get in, do the work and fack off ASAP".

Barrier replacement and resurfacing will surely be the same company/contractors. Drainage is a fair cop, that will need to be dug up so they can go in and get it done but you can guarantee there will be lost days in the middle of the project between the site being made ready and the actual work being undertaken. That's the frustration but is never going to change.

I absolutely know there is motivation for a job/project to take as long as they can reasonably stretch it out for. It happens in all walks of life, but it's especially annoying in this type of case where the impact is felt across the whole road network across the city.

 

[Sea Cider]

I guess it's too much to ask that there be any contractual incentive for these works to finish on time or early

 

[Surrey Phil]

For the time roadworks should take to complete, you need to factor in those contractors working from home!

 

[Jeremiah]

The street next to ours had its road surface relaid a year ago at much expense and inconvenience to the residents. It has just been ripped up to lay new gas pipes !

Watching the workers (!) do it over a period of many months you see little activity but many gas workers walking up and down the street on their mobiles.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Barrier replacement and resurfacing will surely be the same company/contractors. Drainage is a fair cop, that will need to be dug up so they can go in and get it done but you can guarantee there will be lost days in the middle of the project between the site being made ready and the actual work being undertaken. That's the frustration but is never going to change.

I absolutely know there is motivation for a job/project to take as long as they can reasonably stretch it out for. It happens in all walks of life, but it's especially annoying in this type of case where the impact is felt across the whole road network across the city.

Take it up with National Highways and see what it says, then. There's even a complaints process if you're that arsed. I'm still not convinced about the stretching it out theory – that's certainly not the impression I've got from people at NH or the contractors. There are normally reasons behind the timescales allocated. Many people might not consider them, or agree with them, but they are there for a reason (a few of which were mentioned previously).

 

[Anger]

It's hard for the contractors to get to the road works site when they are stuck in traffic queuing on the way towards the site.

What they should have done is build another road next to the highway and divert all of the traffic onto that one and then the contractors can speed their way to site on the original road and 'get it done'.

When the work is finished all they have to do is remove the spare road and return it to its original state.

It is THAT simple.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

It's hard for the contractors to get to the road works site when they are stuck in traffic queuing on the way towards the site.

What they should have done is build another road next to the highway and divert all of the traffic onto that one and then the contractors can speed their way to site on the original road and 'get it done'.

When the work is finished all they have to do is remove the spare road and return it to its original state.

It is THAT simple.

Would a monorail, alongside the road do the job?

 

[Anger]

Would a monorail, alongside the road do the job?

Yes, if you happen to have one then a monorail would do admirably.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Would a monorail, alongside the road do the job?

Unless you can put cars on a monorail, what are people supposed to do with their cars when they get on and what do they use at the other end when they get off ?

Just just haven't thought this through

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Unless you can put cars on a monorail, what are people supposed to do with their cars when they get on and what do they use at the other end when they get off ?

Just just haven't thought this through

You've got me - I AM Lyle Lanley. Your £5 is in the post.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

When I had a new kitchen fitted a couple of years ago, it was the same. Loads of excuses about needing to let the base for the flooring set, waiting for plaster to dry, getting the worksurface cut to shape, the splashback needed to be brought in, changing the plumbing, the electrics needed signing off and then the walls needed painting.

Surely it was only a couple of days work but went on for three weeks! Kitchen fitters and Highway workers must work to the same rules

 

[Anger]

Unless you can put cars on a monorail, what are people supposed to do with their cars when they get on and what do they use at the other end when they get off ?

Just just haven't thought this through

They can take the monorail back to pick up their cars and then drive them along the road to where they want to go.

I mean Jeez! We don’t need to kill these ideas before they get going.