Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Fog in the Channel; Continent cut off
In the course of my work, I often have to travel to Aldershot from my home in Reading. The powers that be seem to think this is a a bad idea though.
This map is probably essential to understand what follows.
The problem with the South side of Reading is the M4. Realistically there are only two ways for me to get across it to Aldershot. I can either take the A327 through Shinfield or the A33. The only other routes out to the South are the A329 (to far East) and the A4 (too far West).
Reading is a big town and lots of people keep trying to get into it every day. The traffic jams on the A33 are glacial and those on the A327 of Nile like proportions (long). Fortunately, I am always going the other way.
A few months ago, in their infinite wisdom, Wokingham district council decided to remodel the junction on the A327 at Arborfield Cross. This selfish council decided to reduce the pain of people trying to get into and out of Wokingham by putting an enormous roundabout there. This has completely disrupted all the traffic going along the A327 including me as that is my favourite route to work.
Not to worry, I changed my route to go down the A33, turn left onto the B3349, head for Hook and approach Aldershot from the West along the A287. Although much further, it avoids Fleet so it doesn't take much longer.
Now, whichever council is in charge of the B3349 has decided it needs resurfacing, so they closed it at the beginning of August. The only alternative road work free route to Aldershot is a piddling country lane, the B3011 which a) is a long way and b) fails to avoid Fleet. Was it beyond the whit of these two councils to check up on each other and coordinate such that the Farnborough-Fleet-Aldershot metropolis was not almost completely cut off from Reading? Obviously. Huge quantities of traffic now rumble daily along this cart track. All we need is for somebody to pedestrianise it. In fact I can't believe they haven't already thought of it.
The A327 is officially miserable due to the roadworks, but usually you can get through. Today it was flooded and hence closed altogether. Still, it could be worse. One of my colleagues rushed down to Boscastle on Monday to make sure his family, dog and cottage aren't in the sea. My thoughts are with you Keith.
This map is probably essential to understand what follows.
The problem with the South side of Reading is the M4. Realistically there are only two ways for me to get across it to Aldershot. I can either take the A327 through Shinfield or the A33. The only other routes out to the South are the A329 (to far East) and the A4 (too far West).
Reading is a big town and lots of people keep trying to get into it every day. The traffic jams on the A33 are glacial and those on the A327 of Nile like proportions (long). Fortunately, I am always going the other way.
A few months ago, in their infinite wisdom, Wokingham district council decided to remodel the junction on the A327 at Arborfield Cross. This selfish council decided to reduce the pain of people trying to get into and out of Wokingham by putting an enormous roundabout there. This has completely disrupted all the traffic going along the A327 including me as that is my favourite route to work.
Not to worry, I changed my route to go down the A33, turn left onto the B3349, head for Hook and approach Aldershot from the West along the A287. Although much further, it avoids Fleet so it doesn't take much longer.
Now, whichever council is in charge of the B3349 has decided it needs resurfacing, so they closed it at the beginning of August. The only alternative road work free route to Aldershot is a piddling country lane, the B3011 which a) is a long way and b) fails to avoid Fleet. Was it beyond the whit of these two councils to check up on each other and coordinate such that the Farnborough-Fleet-Aldershot metropolis was not almost completely cut off from Reading? Obviously. Huge quantities of traffic now rumble daily along this cart track. All we need is for somebody to pedestrianise it. In fact I can't believe they haven't already thought of it.
And another thing
The A327 is officially miserable due to the roadworks, but usually you can get through. Today it was flooded and hence closed altogether. Still, it could be worse. One of my colleagues rushed down to Boscastle on Monday to make sure his family, dog and cottage aren't in the sea. My thoughts are with you Keith.
# posted by JeremyP : 9:07 pm
