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Rosemary Lane no motor vehicles

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Rosemary Lane no motor vehicles

Rosemary lane Freshford was only partly surveyed by the Goggle Maps vehicle. The reason being it is too narrow and a vehicle coming down it cannot turn around when it reaches Freshford Mill bridge which has a weight limit of three tons. The road from the mill bridge is called Mill Lane. Mill Lane has not been surveyed by the Google Maps vehicle neither has Crabapple Lane which is the approved access road to the mill development. Google Maps has surveyed Rosemary Lane down to The Tyning (and included The Tyning).

The proposed entrance to the Freshford Mill development should be large enough to allow vehicles to turn around. But why not ban vehicles all vehicles?

I see no reason why there should not be a sign up prohibiting motor vehicle access to Rosemary Lane except for access.

The other day two Ford Transit vans (prohibited by the 6 foot six inches width limit, except for access) used Rosemary Lane as a short cut. The speed they were travelling was excessive for the location, not an offence though as the location is subject to the National Speed Limit.

 Let's stop this happening. A No Motor Vehicles sign would help to stop this abuse of the countryside.

Vandalised road sign: weak bridge 3 tons

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Update: vandalised road sign Freshford

It is now almost the end of April 2009. Nothing has been done to rectify this damage. And also the sign: "3 ton weight limit ahead" located at the junction of Crabtree lane and Mill lane  has been turned around so that motorists will not see it.

I have reported  a driver who ignored the advisory road signs and also the possible breaking of the law by that driver who is employed by A.S. Taylor. This driver drove his vehicle down Rosemary lane Freshford.  The vehicle was loaded with twenty reinforced concrete beams for delivery to Freshford Mill. As I understand the regulations the weight was overloaded.  Since taking the earlier photos, someone has vandalised the road sign: 

I do not know whether if the road sign is altered this absolves the driver from the law.

In relation to the lorry owned by A.S. Taylor which drove its Leyland Daf 75-300 vehicle down Rosemary lane with a load possibly exceeding 30 tons when it's gross load according to the Leyland Daf website should not have exceeded 18 tons. I understand that this vehicle was unable to brake properly on its descent down Rosemary lane. This means that a vehicle or other roas user coming up the hill would be killed or seriously injured by the vehicle or it would have have to have driven into the cottages or the wall.  A vehicle should be able to stop within the distance which the driver can see to be clear.

Closure of Trowbridge Driving Test Centre: MP Andrew Murrison Speaks Out

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I understand from my MP Andrew Murrison's recent activity in the House of Commons that the Trowbridge Driving test centre is to be closed and anyone wanting to take the driving test must travel to Chippenham. The full exchange can be accesssed by following the links below:

speaker:Andrew Murrison : 2 Commons debates ===========================================

Driving Standards Agency (13 May 2008)

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2008-05-13a.1356.0&s=speaker%3A11132#g1356.2

Andrew Murrison: On Friday I made the journey from Warminster to Chippenham. The hon. Gentleman may be interested to know that his Conservative opponent made a similar journey from Frome to Chippenham.

Both journeys took well over an hour on a good day, and that does not allow for people who come from places outside the main towns in our area.

Driving Standards Agency (13 May 2008)

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2008-05-13a.1356.0&s=speaker%3A11132#g1359.0

Andrew Murrison: As the hon. Gentleman will know, Chippenham is not exactly easy terrain for those who do not know the lie of the land. He is right to say that the driving test is taken on the basis that the person involved does not necessarily have any familiarity with the stretch of road used, but people who are familiar with Chippenham are clearly at a distinct advantage in comparison with my constituents...

speaker:Andrew Murrison : 2 Written Answers ===========================================

Anyone can register for alerts about their MP 's activity on your behalf. You may only register for your MP. It is a very interesting service, and provides some insight into what your MP is doing for you and your neighbours. To register for email alerts visit:  http://www.theyworkforyou.com

It is many years ago that I failed my first driving test which was for a motorcycle licence. I took the test in St Albans whilst I was familar with Finchley. I had a lot of difficulty remembering where I had to go and probably seemed unsure of my driving, whereas the truth was that I didn't know the locality and got lost and had to retrace my route.

This present proposal means that motorists and instructors will have to spend more time and fuel driving an unnecessary distance at a greater financial cost.

Esso Fuel Station & Shop A36

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The  Esso Service station on the A36 will still be open during the road closure but will have a very difficult time with the road being closed.  I intend to only buy my fuel there, even if its inconvenient, whilst the A36 is closed.  I will also make sure that I also make a point of doing some shopping there.

We all need to support local services as much as possible -the posible closure of the fuel station is very real. I believe that we can all help to keep it open. Local supermarkets can afford to lose our custom for several weeks but in a time when fuel stations are becoming even fewer we can't afford to lose this one.

A36 Update Information from Highways Agency

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I have subscribed to the Highways agency to keep up to date with the A36 development. They email subscribers with updates to their website section for this project. The URL is A36 Limpley Stoke

There are already drivers who are using our village as a rat run. And unlike locals they are driving faster. Once Brassknocker hill is opened again the situation will worsen. There might be extra restrictions eg.

Q. How will we manage potential "rat running"
Some minor roads in the vicinity of Limpley Stoke may also be closed to prevent excessive use by non-local traffic.

Bath University is also publishing updates, their URL is Bath Uni A36 News update

The residents badge issued to locals and businesses needs to be clearly visible as it will help the gatehouse's staff to process traffic faster at peak times.

Map from Highways Agency of A36 Diversion Routes

Freshford High St Cars Illegally Parked

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Some more photos of cars that are parked illegally. There is this particular law because it is needed to protect people from this type of selfish activity.

An article on this problem  The law from the Highway Code:

244

You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it. Parking on the pavement can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments and people with prams or pushchairs.

Refer to 

Inconsiderate Parking

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I fail to understand why some people believe that given the freedom to use the maximum road space as in the shared spaces philosophy that some people will NOT act in an inconsiderate manner; example below.

Pavements with their kurbs provide a measure of protection from vehicles. The kerbside also provide drainage and what used to be a place where the dog could do its business -although this is illegal now. The photograph below shows someone's car parked on the pavement in the High street Freshford.

<img alt="Car parked" 0"="" data-cke-saved-src="http://www.freshfordsomerset.co.uk/cutenews/data/upimages/carparking.JPG" src="http://www.freshfordsomerset.co.uk/cutenews/data/upimages/carparking.JPG" align="none">

Perhaps, the motorist believes that he or she is acting in the best interests of other motorists in that there is more width available to passing vehicles if their car is parked on the pavement. Or, perhaps the driver thinks that their car is a little safer from being damaged by a passing vehicle. However, the law is the law and has been made for a good reason.

The kerb not only protects pedestrians it is also a strong deterrent to motorists to keep away from the pavements, as to hit a kerbstone in good condition, will usually ruin a tyre.

The pavements in Freshford have become lower with periodic road surfacing and should be restored to the level required to protect pedestrians. It should be remembered that the kerb at its proper height will help to divert a vehicle away from the pavement. Or is B&NES council seeking to save money by removing pavements altogether?

 

Freshford Church of England Primary School Do We Care?

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Sustainability is a new word. For its meaning why not read this article: http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainability At the root of any communities ability to survive and thrive there has to be a school. Freshford has a school, but to be honest, the way in which the school's needs are being ignored leads me to believe that maybe a significant number of residents do not care. The school is central to sustainable development as a community.

Lets take the space that's available for outside activities, it is quite restricted, certainly not conducive to running around. The school is using that space well, but it was denied the space that it needs because the adjoining field is owned by a group of residents who are not prepared to allow any of it to be used. That's what I understand anyway, perhaps that's not the case.

Similarly, it is patently obvious that many parents need to use their cars to deliver their children to school. One Factor being that the parents drop their children off enroute to going to work. Yet the possibility of having an off road parking area along Freshford Lane adjoining the school is again blocked by this group of owners of the field. Instead, parents have to park along Freshford lane causing traffic chaos at least twice a day.

There is a continuing and very real danger that someone's child is going to be injured. The necessity for children to have to walk in front of the school bus for example is absurd. The driver cannot even see whether there are any children in front of his vehicle and a child is invisible to passing cars. Even an adult has to take great care. The unacceptible facts are that some motorists who come down Freshford lane at these times, lose their patience and when the road is somewhat clear they drive too fast.

The situation is made worse by there being no pavement, no pedestrian way to negotiate the road junction in safety. This situation will now be described as an example of Shared Spaces! Whereas it is really an example of cocked up planning. Photographs of the junction may be scrutinised here: Road Junction Centre of Freshford

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