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OK then, can't we have a few prosecutions for breaching the Disability Act?  Equally, why aren't WBCs wardens issuing notices against vehicles they see so parked for damaging the footpath / verge?  Both would make a few bob for the public purse if they did a few.  Equally, presumably if a wheelchair or the like accidentally damages a car parked on the pavement, the cars insurers need not pay out?

I'm not sure that WBC are exactly the right body to complain about delays!  After all, didn't it take well over a year to sort out the 'legals' when Victoria Park was transferred to NTC?  In reality that was just a paper transfer between two minor Councils! 

Yet we are told that these days public bodies (National Rail is a public body) all work together.  Of course, there are myriad excuses for not doing anything but I suspect the biggest in reality is the usual Newbury Council one 'not invented here'.  Yes, our local councils have no money and are cutting back on vital services, but then we can always find the cash to spend on vanity projects like restoring derelict buildings for no real purpose.  Oh well, as usual Newbury will just have to accept second best, such a shame its always delivered third rate.

Politicians often complain that people don't bother to vote, because they think nothing ever changes.  This crass project displays exactly why.

The existing bridge is demonstrably too narrow - hence the existing traffic control.  The railway underneath is being modernised and the bridge needs to be completely replaced to increase its height.  As it will therefore be a new build, most of us realise it would cost very little, if anything to add just a few feet to its width; but no. the existing width will remain.

Crass stupidity, as they say, you couldn't make it up.

That's interesting.  Labour used to be the second party in this constituency; looks as if they might be on the road back. 

I must say, I'd agree with that.  In fact, it would be far better if the town centre was closed completely. The 'design' of the new surface is actually part of the problem, it doesn't fit a Georgian townscape so looks unkempt and out of place - and is a significant distraction.  The traffic issues have been exacerbated by poor decisions about the Parkway bridge and the Rising Sun corner.  It beggars belief that a busy private car park entrance/exit was permitted at a busy complex junction!  Imagine a householder trying to get away with that.  Equally, why was a war time bridge, thrown up as a desperate emergency measure, replaced like for like?  If these errors were corrected and the Wharf area was utilised properly and so tidied up, it would enhance the Newbury experience significantly.

Quite!  And the Council claim they are trying to get us to walk about and use bikes more!

Apparently all they are willing to 'nick you' for is driving on the pavement - for which they apparently want to see you do it!  I suspect some of this is really down to them not wanting to do anything which means getting out of a car without a radar gun. 

I'm sure most people aren't too upset about others parking on the pavement but as usual it's the idiots that make things difficult.  For instance, fairly near me, someone parks on the pavement in front of his home, but because his bramble hedge overhangs, no one can easily walk past.  What do Newbury's finest do? 'Oooh we can't do nothing it's not illegal!' Mind, there is do much wheeled traffic on the pavement these days, what with bikes, oversized baby buggies, OAP buggies and the like that it's safer to walk on the road anyway.   Again, the idiot factor cuts in.  Perhaps instead of prohibiting pavement parking, we need to,prohibit idiots.

All the best for the New Year; who knows interest may will grow with the upcoming 'special event'!  Anyway, thanks for persevering BrianB - it's appreciated.

Oh!!!  The wait was clearly a very good move, unbelievable that anyone would have thought that good design; even by 1970s standards.

The 'bit in the middle' wasn't particularly old.  It dated back to the mid 1930s and the design was really no more than a stage set - simply a corridor joining the two old bits together.  Certainly very little thought went into it which then didn't matter because the area was pretty unkempt anyway.  Newbury has always struck me as being a bit odd when it comes to decent design, just look at the number of people who apparently preferred what was a good imitation of a derelict bomb site to Parkway!

Good point!  I have to say I found the build quality on my Renault absolutely dreadful.  And we used to slag off BL!

This round of cuts shouldn't come as any great surprise to our local politicians as it's exactly what the Coalition said was going to happen a couple of years back.  Given that, to the uninformed, spending large sums of money refurbishing the derelict control tower at Greenham and the old building in Thatcham wasn't exactly wise.  So, as our local governing politicians are coalition party members and they initiated this local spend, our children and OAPs should be safe from further cuts.......

Yes, I know there is an apparent difference between the unitary and parish councils, but that's not reflected in my single council tax bill.

Oh well, I suppose they tried!  Sad it didn't work because the site is good one and well worth exploiting. Presumably the really professional operators are at full stretch in more established towns, so perhaps it's time to try something different.