Barroway Drove's very own ski-jump!

[Apple]

Is anyone else here worried about the 'ski-jump' that has appeared in the road in Barroway Drove just outside 'The Eyrie', between the village hall and Hooton's Row?. I have seen no end of vehicles taking to the wrong side of the road to avoid it, (and who can blame them?).

I reported it to NCC highways and was told "Barroway Drove is typical of many Fen Roads in that it does suffer from subsidence and it is not possible to keep all such roads free of irregularities in their surface. The severity of the dips is such that some warning is warranted", which, i suppose. explains the 'RAMP' signs.

I wonder if they would take the same view of such an 'irregularity' if it were to occur outside County Hall!

If you wish to complain about this dangerous piece of road you can report it using the link on this site. From the home page click on 'web portal' then on 'local authorities' then on 'reporting highway problems'.

Alternatively, you can email direct, the NCC officer in question, Graham Simpson:

graham.simpson@norfolk.gov.uk

We all pay our council tax, why should we put up with this just because we do not live in a town?

[Tim]

Our recurring hump has made a reappearance.

It was repaired a few years ago but the root cause wasn't found and they didn't really do much more than skim the lump off and smooth it out.

It appears to be sinking so unless they keep piling tarmac on top until the hole is filled (whatever is causing it) it's going to reoccur.

I think the new solution is to put permanent uneven road signs up until someone manages to end up in a field or worse someone's front garden.

Perhaps we have just reinvented traffic calming Norfolk style.

[Angela]

Apple
I live near this bump and it is a great way to slow the traffic down. During the past few weeks i haven't seen or heard anyone traveling at speed.
It is dangerous as cars do swerve to avoid the bump and as Tim says it won't be long before someone or some thing falls of the road.
This bump has appeared two or three times and it takes about a year for it to re-appear
last year the council put traffic lights around it for about a month before repairing it.
I am sure they will repair it again but next year it will re-appear

[Tim]

Oh and weren't the traffic lights good.  It appeared that those who use the road as a drag strip just ignored them and went through regardless of colour.

[Apple]

I expect NCC will wait for someone to be injured or killed in an accident before they do the job for which they are being paid, as seems usual these days.

[Tim]

Yes unfortunately the financial costs of most projects appear to hinge on the potential risk.

I was reading an article a couple of years ago on the as they put it "body count" required to upgrade signalling on a section of railway.  However, this isn't a new phenomenon as it appears the railways have always had a policy of profit over safety since their inception.

I have no idea how the road repair system works but I would guess each area or stretch of road has a maintenance schedule that will mean the ramp will eventually get repaired during it's repair window in the calendar.

As local government is now being run more like a business it's inevitable that spending money will become progressively harder on worthwhile projects whilst wasting money on irrelevancies will conversely become easier.

[Tim]

Well they have very kindly resurfaced the hole.  Not actually filled it in, but it now has a new surface to it.

[The_Norfolk_Shed]

I have also contacted the Council and Highways department on numerous occasions. I wrote to Christopher Fraser about it back in September and have heard nothing back. One of my neighbours knocked her head whilst driving over one of the craters. What about the damage it does to our vehicles? With todays technology there is no excuse. Ive taken photos of the Barroway Drove Volcanoes and will be a persistant pain in the neck.  Maybe we should involve the Media before someone ends up in hospital, or even worse.

Other issues Ive contacted the Council and Highways department about is the Vibration and damage it can (and is) causing to property.  (There doesnt seem to be any governing body responsible according to my investigations, Building insurance doesnt cover for it either, again Im waiting for Christopher Fraser to answer the question, "who is responsible for Vibration damage to a property" again, nothing as yet)

[Tim]

Excuse my ignorance but who is Christopher Fraser? 

[Apv]

he's our MP you muppet!

[Tim]

Oh god in that case you wont see him for dust unless it's an election year!

Might as well write to Keith Harris and Orville.

[Apple]

Well, almost a year on and our ski jump is back again!!

I wonder how long it will be before NCC 'repair' it this time, (they have been informed of its return).

[Apple]

(01 11 09). Walking back from the spooky story evening at the village hall last night I noticed that lines have been painted on the road around the ski-jump. Looks like Barroway Drove (or whatever they now want to call it!), is going to be closed again soon(ish) while the county council has another bash at fixing this recurring fault.

[Apple]

20 04 10. Repair markings have appeared at this site yet again..... seems that it's time once more for NCC to have yet another go at fixing this road, (doubtless spurred into action by the fatal accident here a little while ago).

[Apple]

05 07 10. No action taken to repair the road since the last post, which I suppose is no great surprise, but i was just wondering if anyone else thinks that it has grown even worse in the past few days, (possibly caused by the arrival of the hot weather). There must be something really odd happening under that piece of road