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Spreadie
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:06 pm Posts: 6355 Location: IoW
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14610580The Highways Agency already favour out of hours for major roadworks/resurfacing, where the extra costs can be offset against the cost of disruption. It works due to economies of scale. Forcing utilities contractors and the like to work outside of regular business hours will cost us MORE money. They do, manhole replacements, pot-holes, pipework replacement and leak fixes. All of which require very small amounts of materials from their suppliers; who have hefty surcharges for out-of-hours opening and supply. Add that to additional costs for the contractors, in wages/unsociable hours payments. It doesn't stack up.
_________________ Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes; after that, who cares?! He's a mile away and you've got his shoes!
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Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:41 am |
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rustybucket
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:10 pm Posts: 5837
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It's a bit dumb to be blunt.
Far better, IMO, would be to have the county council dig up and fill in the road and charge the utility for the privilege. That way, the whole hole can be supervised by the local Clerk of Works.
Only government employees and contractors should ever be allowed to dig up the roads.
_________________Jim
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Mon Aug 22, 2011 10:26 am |
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hifidelity2
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:03 pm Posts: 5041 Location: London
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I think you might be missing the point. At the moment a company gets permission to dig up the road. While they do estimate how long it will take there is almost no comeabck if they exceed that time so if they get another job they can leave the 1st one unfinished for weeks or months
With road "rental" it would be in their interest to complete the job asap - so reducing the amount of disruption to motorists
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Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:10 am |
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HeatherKay
Moderator
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:13 pm Posts: 7262 Location: Here, but not all there.
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Never mind motorists! As a recently reborn cyclist, I'd just be happy for the road to be reinstated as fairly level and smooth! 
_________________My Flickr | Snaptophobic BloggageHeather Kay: modelling details that matter. "Let my windows be open to receive new ideas but let me also be strong enough not to be blown away by them." - Mahatma Gandhi.
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Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:17 am |
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Spreadie
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:06 pm Posts: 6355 Location: IoW
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Lane rental has been inplace on major roads contracts for years; with hefty penalties for over-running the handover deadline - £50K per day or more in some cases. It works well, when you're resurfacing lane 1 on the M6, with no street furniture in the way to foul things up. I have no issues with the lane rental system - it's the idea that they would be forced into working out-of-hours that scares me. Pay out to do the work during business hours, or work nights and bill the Local Authority more for the privilege. Councils will have to step sharp to re-negotiate every contract with the utilities companies; and they will have to do the same with their contractors, or Joe Public gets reamed again.
_________________ Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes; after that, who cares?! He's a mile away and you've got his shoes!
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Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:28 am |
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Linux_User
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 3:29 pm Posts: 7173
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All companies who need to dig up roads should have to apply to the local authority for permission. That way the council can ensure any works that need to be carried out in an area are scheduled for a similar time so that the road only need be dug up once, rather than have disruption for many weeks by many different companies.
Companies should also be forced to do a better job of closing the road so that pot holes etc are less likely to develop, or have the council do it and have them invoice the company.
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Mon Aug 22, 2011 12:03 pm |
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hifidelity2
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:03 pm Posts: 5041 Location: London
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I guess then it comes down to which is the lesser of two evils The work being done at night (Say) when there is little traffic so keeping the roads flowing at rush hours (but costing more) or Work done during the day esp at rush hour, so causing delays but being slightly cheaper
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Mon Aug 22, 2011 12:41 pm |
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Amnesia10
Legend
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am Posts: 29240 Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
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Though if they do the work during the day the real costs are imposed on the drivers in lost time and extra petrol used waiting to get through the congestion.
_________________Do concentrate, 007... "You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds." https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTkhttp://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21
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Mon Aug 22, 2011 12:54 pm |
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adidan
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:43 pm Posts: 5048
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If they could just organise things so that when a hole is dug all of the companies wishing to lay cables actually laid them at the same frakin time.
_________________ Fogmeister I ventured into Solitude but didn't really do much. jonbwfc I was behind her in a queue today - but I wouldn't describe it as 'bushy'.
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Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:43 am |
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Amnesia10
Legend
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am Posts: 29240 Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
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I had the idea some years ago of a large tube placed underground which would be accessed by manhole covers so that you only needed to access a manhole and then you could simply send a man or two to walk through it dragging what ever cable they needed. It would mean no more road works as you could always access via a manhole. It would be expensive initially but since every company would effectively be able to use the system then they could have much lower installation costs and much easier maintenance if required. Also you only needing to get access to a manhole it would substantially reduce the congestion if work was needed.
_________________Do concentrate, 007... "You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds." https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTkhttp://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21
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Tue Aug 23, 2011 10:15 am |
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MrStevenRogers
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:44 pm Posts: 4860
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believe it or not the defunct GLC with red ken as leader made all utilities pay for road repairs if they dug the roads up the utilities soon got together so all repairs were done at the same time thus reducing costs
sadly the tories (who like cost cutting) abolished the GLC and left it to the free market, ho hum ...
_________________ Hope this helps . . . Steve ...
Nothing known travels faster than light, except bad news ... HP Pavilion 24" AiO. Ryzen7u. 32GB/1TB M2. Windows 11 Home ...
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Tue Aug 23, 2011 10:30 am |
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Amnesia10
Legend
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am Posts: 29240 Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
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Yet another failed Tory policy. 
_________________Do concentrate, 007... "You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds." https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTkhttp://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21
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Tue Aug 23, 2011 1:00 pm |
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bobbdobbs
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:10 pm Posts: 5490 Location: just behind you!
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Good job all those Labour policies (1997-2010) have led us to a land of opportunity and social justice for all....oh wait.. A summary of Kens time as London's mayor A resounding success.. trebles all round!!!!
_________________Finally joined Flickr
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Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:44 pm |
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Amnesia10
Legend
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am Posts: 29240 Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
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Yes but they were following conservative Neoliberal policies and they were crap as well. I want both parties to move back to the centre not leaving the Liberals as the only left leaning party, by virtue of both Labour and Conservatives moving to the right significantly. The fact that the Tories are so far to the right now make them a wasted vote as far as I am concerned. They want powers to clamp down on freedoms should there be a need. Even Syria spokeswoman said that what they were doing was similar to what the Tories plan.
_________________Do concentrate, 007... "You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds." https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTkhttp://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21
Last edited by Amnesia10 on Tue Aug 23, 2011 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Tue Aug 23, 2011 3:29 pm |
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bobbdobbs
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:10 pm Posts: 5490 Location: just behind you!
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eh? If both parties move to the centre that would leave the liberals as the only left of centre party! Or I'm misunderstanding what you wrote. As far as I am aware I haven't seen tanks go in to restore order anywhere in the mainland UK since the General Election, or they have kept that quiet. There is also a large difference between a group of lawless thugs looting for no reason than they can and a population fighting to try and achieve some sort of life without the threat of torture or death if they happen to disagree with the current regime. Any encroachment on our freedoms (as we have them) should not be done without thorough discussion and calm reflection and not as a knee jerk reaction.
_________________Finally joined Flickr
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Tue Aug 23, 2011 3:41 pm |
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