Drivers’ anger as FIVE sets of roadworks put town into GRIDLOCK

BARRAGE OF COMPLAINTS AFTER TRAFFIC GETS STUCK IN TWO-HOUR QUEUES

TRAFFIC ground to a halt in Ashbourne last week after a succession of roadworks combined to cripple nearly all the routes in and out of the town.

The chairman of Ashbourne Town Council’s Environment Committee Bob Pugh spoke out during last Tuesday’s meeting to respond to a barrage of complaints from members of the public after drivers reported queuing for up to two hours to get from one end of the town to another.

Roadworks had been sanctioned in Derby Road, Clifton Road and Sturston Road, and the knock-on effect led to huge delays during the rush-hour periods, Councillor Pugh said, pointing the finger at Derbyshire County Council for allowing the road closures to be carried out at the same time.

He said: “To take an hour to get in and out from Clifton, for those of us who have to work, or who have had to get to medical appointments, it must have been really dreadful today.

“I lost count of the number of roadworks I had to go through to get in and out of town, and I’m sure others round this table will have had similar experiences.

“Social media has been awash with ‘what the heck’s going on.’

“They’d just about taken the roadworks away down the road towards Waterside Park, then you turn left and the road is closed. Derby Hill had roadworks on it, and the roundabout on the A52 loop had roadworks on it.

“My heart goes out to those who actually needed to get somewhere for an important appointment, or for work.

“It was diabolical today, let alone the amount of pollution that will have been given off from the stalled traffic.” Councillor Pugh suggested the full council discussed it at the next available meeting, with a view to pointing out the difficulties motorists face in Ashbourne when roadworks are carried out at one time and not staggered. The chaos began early last week with a lane closure in Sturston

Road to allow for scaffolding combining with delays caused by a lane closure in Clifton Road.

Two further lane closures were in place in Derby Road, one on the hill for Severn Trent and another utilities project further up the hill towards the bypass, to connect up the new housing development.

Another temporary obstruction was in place in Station Road, according to Derbyshire County Council, which was unauthorised and the contractors were told to remove it.

Derbyshire County Council has not explained why bosses authorised so many road closures all in one go, but insisted they were “carefully planned”.

A spokesman said: “Like all other councils, we work to the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and the Traffic Management Act 2004, which means that road works are carefully planned.

“Any utility company wanting to carry out roadworks has to gain a permit from us, which enables us to make sure that all works are planned on the roads that we are responsible for.

“We had approved works on Clifton Road, Derby Road and Sturston Road and when we became aware of work taking place without a permit on Station Road we asked the company to stop the work, which it did.

“We’re not aware of any other work which was taking place.”

It was diabolical today, let alone the amount of pollution that will have been given off from the stalled traffic.

Bob Pugh