tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post7039520875601474383..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: Getting Rid of Street ClutterIain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-74922105845305024802010-08-27T11:35:20.875+01:002010-08-27T11:35:20.875+01:00"So if we really were in "financial melt...<i>"So if we really were in "financial meltdown" what could Steve say. He's already used the extreme expression."</i><br /><br />The obvious next stage would be for the already melted-down economy to change state into a gas. So he could say "The country is in financial vapourisation".P. Stablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09657721343030685167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-66460572100553159752010-08-27T08:06:25.461+01:002010-08-27T08:06:25.461+01:00One thought for those complaining about the costs ...One thought for those complaining about the costs of removing signs.<br /><br />In the 1970s I was at university with a student who was affectionately known as "Mad Ian". Prior to coming to university he had been a farmer and, although of medium height, was wiry and immensely strong.<br /><br />On occasion, when he had had a bit too much to drink, he would take a dislike to a street sign, shake it a bit until it was loose and then uproot it and take it home. <br /><br />Of course, that is what we might have called antisocial behaviour. But today it would make him a model citizen.<br /><br />Mad Ian, where are you now that Britain needs you?Seanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03234085314662011091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-10322977327421628492010-08-27T07:44:38.195+01:002010-08-27T07:44:38.195+01:00Steve
"The country is in financial meltdown....Steve<br /><br /><i>"The country is in financial meltdown."</i><br /><br />I often wonder , when people use such overblown and inaccurate language as this, what language they would use if what they allege really did happen? <br /><br />So if we really were in "financial meltdown" what could Steve say. He's already used the extreme expression.Paddy Briggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17847108655078927970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-8755650555096814982010-08-27T07:41:03.193+01:002010-08-27T07:41:03.193+01:00"A further recognition of the state endorsed ..."A further recognition of the state endorsed tyranny that we have been subjected to since '97"<br /><br />Tyranny? We're talking about road signs here. It's hardly the holocaust...<br /><br />I shall now sit back and wait for someone to say "Well, actually, the first thing Hitler did was install a big sign saying 'WELCOME TO BERLIN, HOME OF THE NATIONAL SOCIALIST PARTY' by the side of the autobahn."P. Stablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09657721343030685167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-13465242799994120512010-08-27T00:51:27.306+01:002010-08-27T00:51:27.306+01:00Certain elements of our community seem to like pin...Certain elements of our community seem to like pinching signs and manhole covers, perhaps it can be arranged for them to remove the signs free of charge by spraying a cross on the redundant ones.JMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13862227988978988383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-79550454121648632572010-08-27T00:47:50.721+01:002010-08-27T00:47:50.721+01:00Another form of waste in signage is the Highways A...Another form of waste in signage is the Highways Agency having signs on every motorway slip road with either just Highways Agency or End of Highways Agency as you leave the motorway. There is no useful information like a telephone contact number. That is eight signs at a typical motorway junction. <br /><br />The cost must be astronomical over the motorway network by the time you add up the surveys, meetings, coning off whilst the signs are erected.JMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13862227988978988383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-79594312253728471372010-08-27T00:34:12.886+01:002010-08-27T00:34:12.886+01:00It's interesting that some people are mentioni...It's interesting that some people are mentioning that it will cost a lot of money to remove all the excess signs.<br /><br />While that may be true, preventing any possible future increase will be a money saver and taking some down will also reduce maintenance costs (a lot of signs are damaged vandalised).<br /><br />I've done a blog post about the issue of road signs/clutter, which can be found here:<br /><br />http://www.lifedownloaded.com/blog/unnecessary-clutter-on-the-roads/<br /><br />Feel free to comment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-79363280988793066422010-08-26T23:01:50.612+01:002010-08-26T23:01:50.612+01:00The country is in financial meltdown. And a minist...The country is in financial meltdown. And a minister finds time to point at street furniture. This is good? Really?<br /><br />Can I look forward to George Osborne urging us to iron our bank notes and polish our pocket change?stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13440640503681625170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-27460872458204510672010-08-26T22:43:31.369+01:002010-08-26T22:43:31.369+01:00Well I'd rather have signs cluttering up the s...Well I'd rather have signs cluttering up the streets than smokers - at least the former don't make noise and don't leave a mess, unlike the latter.<br /><br />Any word of the Coalition reforming the smoking ban?<br /><br />Although it's a bit academic north of the border, because the chances of relaxing the ban up here seem as realistic as Alex Salmond joining the Labour Party.Stuart Wintonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02772436419630464325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-37051770707941826592010-08-26T22:08:56.100+01:002010-08-26T22:08:56.100+01:00I think IanVisits has got a good point. Removing ...I think IanVisits has got a good point. Removing signs costs money.<br /><br />A neighbour of mine works for a construction / road engineering company who have a standing contract with Cambridgeshire CC for road repair. Apparently, the average pothole costs about £120 to fill (2 men, one pickup, fuel, one hour of work, materials, margin), and after the last winter, there's lots of potholes. I'd guess that removing signage would cost about the same.<br /><br />Why not introduce a rule stating that for every sign put in place, one must be removed? All within a fixed budget, of course. This could take place at local level and not need central government diktat, plus it would introduce a mindset that thinks "do we really need this sign"? After all, the cost of removing a sign for every one fitted would double the overall charge and put serious pressure on every local budget.Thorpehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07937013013431307255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-36008544775460932412010-08-26T21:32:45.208+01:002010-08-26T21:32:45.208+01:00Sorry if this sounds a bit geeky, but I think that...Sorry if this sounds a bit geeky, but I think that removing all this crap is more important than just tidying up our streets. It's about letting people take responsability for their lives rather than being told what to do by the state. <br /><br />Just look at Oxford Circus, where we were hearded like animlas into state determined boxes to cross where we were told to cross. Now all that has been removed and we cross however and wherever we want to. And it works. Injuries have been reduced. The whole place looks better. And people are free to do what they think best.<br /><br />I think it's a really good practical example of what DC means when he talks about people taking more responsability for their lives, at the expence of the state.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18396902896788874994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-42100698071722438222010-08-26T21:21:04.004+01:002010-08-26T21:21:04.004+01:00A bit of intelligent Yorkshire is most refreshing....A bit of intelligent Yorkshire is most refreshing. <br /><br />Hague's from up thur somewhere, but doesn't call a spade a spade in quite the same way as Pickles. Too highly educated for politics. Saving muni is what it's all erbowt.Tapestryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17267094484651413428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-79513680110187179722010-08-26T21:19:37.123+01:002010-08-26T21:19:37.123+01:00"Comrade" Pickles?
Surely not, Iain, th...<b>"Comrade"</b> Pickles?<br /><br />Surely not, Iain, the Tory party hasn't moved <b>that</b> far left yet, or <b>has</b> it?Barking Spiderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00968827142725464915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-36847717035574940852010-08-26T20:22:57.531+01:002010-08-26T20:22:57.531+01:00Further to previous comment, every single sign in ...Further to previous comment, every single sign in Iain's illustrative photograph is prescribed by the Department for Transport's Sign Manuals - see http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/<br /><br />Their size, shape and exact position is determined by central government. Most aren't required by law - but if there's an accident, and the Council hasn't followed the DfT guidance, the claimant has a good chance of a successful negligence claim. So they all do exactly as the DfT recommends - with the result as in Iain's pic.<br /><br />The answer to this problem isn't with local councils, but Hammond's Transport Department.Raedwaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11699610899843349594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-26975396925410021032010-08-26T18:46:51.993+01:002010-08-26T18:46:51.993+01:00Cone hotline time again - oh dear!Cone hotline time again - oh dear!Paddy Briggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17847108655078927970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-4832116932979757962010-08-26T17:19:04.991+01:002010-08-26T17:19:04.991+01:00It's actually unpicking the big brother New La...It's actually unpicking the big brother New Labour philsophy.<br /><br />Signs are there as a substiution for personal responsibility. Street signs are the nanny state polluting our lives.javelinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685858339910528013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-79565843783989491482010-08-26T17:09:43.561+01:002010-08-26T17:09:43.561+01:00The signs that really get your goat are those bear...The signs that really get your goat are those bearing genuinely irrelevant guff like 'Such-and-such Council (the boroughs are as bad!)working in partnership with the community'. <br /><br />As if we might otherwise think they are working for Martians or people from Burkina Faso. <br /><br />And how about the plethora of advertising signs now infesting roundabouts?<br /><br />Good for Pickles. Time someone got a grip.talwinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06217305295002230599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-63606020112476949732010-08-26T16:52:40.364+01:002010-08-26T16:52:40.364+01:00Um, all those signs are there because councils rel...Um, all those signs are there because councils religiously follow the best practice advice they're given by, er, the government. In particular by Philip Hammond's Transport Department and its 'Manual for Streets'.<br /><br />If Eric had asked Daniel Moylan, I'm sure Daniel would have advised him that scrapping the official government guidance would have a bigger effect on reducing clutter than anything else. <br /><br />So C'mon Eric and Philip - are you going to scrap the 'Manual for Streets' tomorrow and show you mean what you say, or is this just more disingenuous politicos' spin?Raedwaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11699610899843349594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-59684150289167712702010-08-26T16:16:53.757+01:002010-08-26T16:16:53.757+01:00Didn't take long for the govt to get to their ...Didn't take long for the govt to get to their first 'cones hotline' moment this time, did it?<br /><br />Street clutter? Christ.McSweeneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18087647822227824685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-35594868948557571882010-08-26T15:37:03.996+01:002010-08-26T15:37:03.996+01:00Ah, to have a life so free of trauma that this is ...Ah, to have a life so free of trauma that this is the kind of thing that keeps one awake at night!voiceofourownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09821703633244094283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-42324076294151872122010-08-26T15:28:51.285+01:002010-08-26T15:28:51.285+01:00I'm still waiting for someone to mention the c...I'm still waiting for someone to mention the clutter on this blog...The Grim Reaperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15190441504002736960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-24086773604501669792010-08-26T14:46:48.970+01:002010-08-26T14:46:48.970+01:00A couple of years ago "Twenty's plenty&qu...A couple of years ago "Twenty's plenty" signs were plastered all over villages across the Scottish Borders. They were put next to the "30" signs, with the result that drivers were, and still are, confused as to whether the speed limit is 20 or 30. The reason the signs were put up, I am told, is not that there was any actual need for them, but so that the Council could use up its budget: if it didn't spend all of its budget, the allocation would have been reduced the following year.Treaclehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11122500029194856865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-45636648924674829732010-08-26T14:28:36.760+01:002010-08-26T14:28:36.760+01:00The point is entirely correct. Cycle lanes seem t...The point is entirely correct. Cycle lanes seem to raise the most number of pointless signs, <br /><br />http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/harlow-dismounts.jpg<br /><br />but we also have myriads of speed camera signs which very often do not lead to a Gatso.<br /><br />But I would be careful, if you have been counting the signs you are laying yourself open to charges of driving without due attention. Don't tune in the radio either!<br /><br />But do we have the money to spend removing things?<br /><br />See here for an example and a campaign<br />http://www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/transport/rural-transport/rural-transport-roadside-clutter<br /><br />Signage does have its advantages ...<br />http://www.cadillacmichigan.com/userfiles/image/funny_road_sign.jpg<br /><br />http://www.davesmock.com/blog07sep/091707sign.jpgAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-42944288584469221422010-08-26T14:20:46.111+01:002010-08-26T14:20:46.111+01:00Well, well.
A further recognition of the state en...Well, well.<br /><br />A further recognition of the state endorsed tyranny that we have been subjected to since '97, and possible even earlier.<br /><br />Whilst the tories are returning power to local communities we also need an application of common sense and a termination of the legal stasi, that prey on everyday accidents. In this latter case, that is the reason for the plethora of signs, to avoid an increasingly litigious population having grounds to sue. Indeed we also need to strip authorities of legislation that ennables them to use heavy-handed and draconian action against the people they are supposed to serve.<br /><br />So perhaps the next step is to ensure THAT ALL CIVIL SERVANTS, LOCAL AND CENTRAL, are aware that they are the servants of the people NOT their masters. Any action that they take must be seen as an appropiate measure, and vitally and necessarily so.<br /><br />I'm tired of being bossed around by council employees and those employees of central government who feel that they have a right to be impertinent and harass.<br /><br />Keep Trucking Eric.Penfoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16946700329323417719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-13698910257594392312010-08-26T14:04:53.146+01:002010-08-26T14:04:53.146+01:00Yeah, obviously councils would spend their scant b...Yeah, obviously councils would spend their scant budgets putting up unnecessary signage. Those pesky Councillors just love spending money on stupid things rather than things that would win them votes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com