Subsidence on Oakwood Drive has forced the road to be closed for repairs. The problem appears to be waterlogged ground 8 feet below the surface. Remedial work will be undertaken so the road can be re-opened as soon as possible.

Yet more serious potholes in Drakes Drive have damaged cars. Cllr Chris White’s daughter was just one who blew out a tyre in an unmarked pothole on Drake’s Drive on Sunday morning.

Attempts to report the pothole as an emergency failed because the county council does not accept emergency calls about highways at the weekend.

Other cars were incurring similar damage. the picture below shows one of the many hubcaps on site being used to measure the depth of the hole:

The urgent resurfacing of London Road, due to be started this week, has been put back because of the snow  and heavy rain forecast for earlier in the week.Unfortunately this means that the works won’t now commence until May – something which will cause further deterioration in the surface and danger to roads users.Clearly we want this put back on schedule as soon as possible and I will be using every means possible to restore the programme.

People who have complained have been told that whilst it is a longer walk it is possible to use Ashley Road, Hatfield Road (Smallford side), Beechwood Avenue crossings and then use Beaumont Avenue to get to the same place.The delay is caused by EDF who need to disconnect and reconnect before the repair can be carried out. The good news is though that our street lighting department have agreed to upgrade the crossing to include flood lights, something I know you were keen to see. I have just chased them up and the provisional date for EDF and repairs is the week commencing 5th March, which is the earliest they can attend.

Lib Dem Leader Chris White has called for an inquiry into how the county council managed to waste over £100,000 in a failed legal dispute over a £335 bill. Chris said: ‘Veolia raised this issue with me when I paid them a visit to discuss their performance on burst water mains. I expressed my concerns to the county council and now discover that the county council continued to waste their time and our money on this ludicrous dispute.‘I have called upon the Chief Executive to set up an inquiry into how officials felt it was appropriate to pursue a dispute to this ludicrous extent and to establish whether disciplinary action is appropriate.‘I will also be seeking a revision in procedures to make sure that this sort of thing cannot be repeated.’Chris plans to raise the matter publicly at the County Council meeting on Tuesday.

Story in Watford Observer yesterday

A £335 dispute over a broken manhole cover in Rickmansworth High Street could cost Hertfordshire County Council more than £110,000 in legal costs following a High Court ruling. Deputy Judge Alison Hampton explained today that these were some of the highest costs she had ever seen in a case of similar, seemingly trivial, value.The extraordinary dispute erupted in July 2007 when the council attempted to bill utilities company Veolia Water for placing two cones and some tape over the hole, when shoppers began tripping over its cover. When this figure was disputed legal action was started – ending, eventually, in the court hearing today.While the final legal bills are yet to be assessed, Judge Hampton ordered the council to pay the bulk of the total chalked-up by both sides – in the region of £130,000. She ordered the council to pay 85 per cent of Veolia’s costs – which are estimated to be up to £45,000 – and also ordered the company to pay 15 per cent of the council’s costs, believed to be around £85,000, to reflect delay Veolia had caused to the trial earlier this month. The precise sums will be assessed later, if not agreed between the parties, but the total bill for council tax payers could be as high as £110,000. This could rise still higher after the council was granted leave to appeal.Judge Hampton explained the case centred on competing interpretations of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, under which the council sought to force Veolia – formerly known as Three Valleys Water – to pay the £335.31. She added: “The case is really about whether the claimant, as a street authority, is entitled to charge the defendant, as an undertaker, for inspecting the site and installing cones and tapes over the manhole cover, pending its replacement.” While she rejected a claim by Veolia that the council’s charges were not reasonable, she ruled that she was “driven reluctantly to the conclusion” that the Council was not entitled to charge in this case.

Dial-a-ride provides a door to door transport service for the residents of Hertfordshire who cannot or have difficulty in accessing passenger transport due to permanent disability or illness.What is Dial-a-ride?
It is a door to door transport service for the residents of Hertfordshire who cannot, or have difficulty, in accessing passenger transport due to permanent disability or illness.

What can I use it for?
These are just a few ideas:

·         Shopping

·         Attending your local GP or dental surgery

·         Visiting places of interest

·         Visiting friends and relations

Dial-a-ride does not provide transport to hospitals as an outpatient, to full time education or to social services/health service day centres. Other transport schemes may be able to help, please contact your district or borough council.

When can I use it?
Once you have been accepted as a member, you can book your trips through the booking office up to seven days in advance between the hours of 8.30am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. The service is available between 9.00am and 5.00pm, Monday to Saturday.

How do I know if I qualify for Membership?
As a general rule, if you are in receipt of a mobility allowance, have a permanent disability that restricts your mobility or, in certain districts, qualify on age, then you are eligible. You can call 01707 343600 to check.

How much does it cost?
Dial-a-ride fares are comparable with passenger transport. The fares are quoted for a single journey and the booking office should tell you the cost of each journey.

Can I take a companion?
Yes you may, as Dial-a-ride does not provide companions or escorts. Companions will be charged at the same rate as the member.

Cancellations
Please let the booking office know on 01707 343600 if you are unable to make the journey you have booked as another member may be able to use the service.For more advice or details on how to join, call our friendly staff on 01707 343600 or visit us using the link on the right – Information about Dial-a-Ride.

The Liberal Democrats are offering a new direction for Herts with their budget proposals.The Conservative route is taking another £13m from reserves to fund their spending proposals, and putting just £6m extra into restoring the damage to our roads and footways caused by the winter snow and ice. Liberal Democrats by contrast are pledging* a major assault on the bloated management costs being incurred at County Hall
* better value from the £700m of county council contracts.The savings would be used to fund:* another £12m on repairing the winter damage to roads
* higher spending on pavements
* more effective gully cleansing to combat flooding
* quicker and more effective pothole repairs, using ideas already in use in Lib Dem councils
* more frequent bus services
* a start on introducing 20 mph speed limits in residential areas.Rob Prowse commented, ‘We have been saying for two years that the council needed a radical cost-cutting exercise, now it is being started.‘Last year we said we would put a freeze on council tax. The Tories mocked us but are now following our line. Finally the seem to have got the message, but it is late and half-hearted. There is so much more the County Council could do but the un ambitious Tory administration has lost its way.

The Liberal Democrats have slammed the Conservative county council controlled Herts Highways department as ‘unbelievably inefficient’, following the publication of comparative cost figures in a key county council document. In the 300 page ‘Integrated plan reports’ the cost per kilometre of road maintenance is £12,643 for Hertfordshire and just £6,971 for the ‘family average’ of other similar athorities. 

Lib Dem Leader Chris White said: ‘This vindicates what we have been saying all along – namely that Herts Highways, a partnership between the council and the private sector, is delivering very poor value. Most residents would entirely agree.’ He added: ‘The county council’s excuse is that the roads are 35% busier than the national average. But of course the cost difference is 81%. Yet again we have clear evidence that the people of Hertfordshire are being short-changed.’

Hertfordshire Highways will be carrying out a drainage survey at in London Road. Work will involve flushing the existing highway drainage pipes clean and inspecting their condition using a CCTV camera. The work will take place between the junctions with

The survey is programmed to start on 22^nd February 2010 and will take around four nights to complete. The working hours will be between 8:00pm and 11:30pm on each night. Herts Highways have purposely programmed this survey to coincide with the resurfacing scheme taking place further along London Road. The reason for this is that London Road will be closed to through traffic during this period, which will mean traffic levels are low and congestion kept to a minimum. To enable us to carry out the survey safely the staggered junction at London Road, Milehouse Lane and St Vincent Drive will operate under four-way traffic control for a short period of time. Please note that this will take place within the closed section of road and will mainly be in operation to assist vehicles requiring access. All traffic management restrictions will only be in place during the working hours. Access to properties will be permitted at all times. However there could be periods when vehicular access might be restricted. Herts Highways will endeavour to keep this to a minimum and provide assistance where necessary.

Footway works begins this week in Meadowcroft with around 100 linear meters being resurfaced. I indentified that the footway was in need of re-surfacing 3-4 years ago but has only just got to the top of the priority list for discretionary funding.

The footways and pavements around Cunningham and Ashley are not good and if you know of some that do need extensive work please let me know.