Reader's Letter: Someone has got their priorities wrong!

I totally agree, Peter.
The roads in this area are an absolute disgrace, with potholes, cracks and uneven surfaces all over the place.
Certain "managers" responsible for this debacle at Cheshire East should hang their heads in shame for letting the roads around this area become such a mess.
Maybe we should demand to know who exactly at Cheshire East is responsible to the ratepayers (that's US) !! for the upkeep of our roads ? ......
because, quite clearly, they're not doing their jobs properly !

Which brings us to the other subject of Brook Lane and the useless repairs recently carried out there, with possibly more Tarmac gone into the drains than on the road.

Any news on Hayes Lane (from the lay-by, past Emmersons and onto the station Craig ? as I have had three road springs fitted this year.

Totally agree David.
Cyclists have to swerve to miss potholes, cars swerve to miss them etc etc and before long there will be a bad accident.
As for the numpties who did Brook Lane - it beggars belief that they would cover drains.
Money needs to be directed in the right way. Good infrastructure is paramount

Agreed the roads are poor and East Cheshire is responsible. But I have seen that the flowers are maintained personally by Cllr Christine Monro and others.

Meanwhile Cllr Craig Browne has recently been very active putting pressure on East Cheshire and getting several more serious road maintenance requirements addressed - then heading out to confirm the jobs have been done properly. I guess the writer isn't aware of Craig's efforts?

So the priorities aren't wrong - if the Parish council hadn't sorted flowers we'd still have many badly maintained roads but with no flowers to admire whilst we negotiate the cracks and holes!

All the bad bits on Brook Lane were resurfaced this time last year for the Tour of Britain bike race. So why has the whole stretch of Brook Lane been redone? It didn't need doing again, but now after the shoddy job that has been done, it will need lots of 'touch up' work doing for years to come.

The planters in Alderley Edge have not been paid for by any council but by the villagers who wanted to get involved. The Alderley Edge Britain in Bloom volunteers litter pick, weed, water and maintain the other tubs, flower beds and hanging baskets in the village and the railway station. They are a separate issue to the roads which Cllr Craig Browne works very hard to report and monitor. It is a thankless task a great shame saying Craig is a man who is passionate about our village and we are lucky to have him

Meh, they should build roads decent in the first place. They do it in the USA, it's called concrete...

Whilst it is interesting to read Peter Yates's letter about the road conditions in Wilmslow, we could just as easily be reading letters from most residents in towns and villages throughout East Cheshire. The fact is that East Cheshire roads are appalling, especially for those who have taken to riding 'two wheels' they are indeed dangerous.
Craig Browne, our Ward Councillor, does a great job in getting works done and you may be assured that it is as frustrating for him as it is for all Alderley residents that 'right first time' does not seem to be the culture in the companies employed by Cheshire East to complete these works.
Cheshire East will already be more than aware of our disappointment in the standards we are being asked to accept because Craig will have represented our views immediately. It is what he does, daily and weekly and yes, Beverley Chapman, you are right when you say we are very lucky to have him.
The road conditions here and throughout East Cheshire have been awful for years. This is not something new as well we all know. Drive to Wales if you want a smooth ride and wish, as you do, that one day our roads here will be the same.
Just don't hold your breath!

As I understand it; from the last time I asked, the flowers in Wilmslow, which is after all the subject of the first enry above, are paid for by Wilmslow Town Council.
The flowers in Alderley Edge are arranged by Christine Munro (with her usual expertise) and neither Cheshire east nor A.E.P.C. pay anything.
If I am out of date, please feel free to corre4ct me.

You are quite correct Duncan - although it must be said that the large self watering planters were paid for by the generous support of the residents of Alderley Edge.

Mike the planters look great and I'm grateful to all of those people who keep the village looking great. I would just like to make a small observation.

I often pull out of West St onto London Road. The planter on the corner obscures the view and it is hard to see oncoming traffic. Recently when I thought all was clear two cyclists flew by...they are even harder to see. Is it possible to pull this planter a meter or so further away from the road?

Malcolm,

Thank you so much for your post. I will ensure it is attended to tomorrow morning.

Malcolm,

We tried this morning to move the planter ourselves but in the wet it proved impossible. I have sent the following message to our supplier (also called Malcolm!)

A huge favour to ask, Malcolm...

We have had two or three people mention that, as they leave West Street to rejoin the London Road, the planter outside Barclays is now so spectacular it makes looking right difficult.

We have tried to move the planter this morning but in the wet it is almost impossible to get a grip and so were unsuccessful.

If your maintenance team were nearby could they slide it further towards the nightsafe side of the Barclays front thereby improving the road safety on the West Street junction.

I am pleased to report that in each case we were complimented on how wonderful the planters look!

My thanks to you and your team.

Fix more holes, don't be daft! The highways people have little enough money to paint white lines as it is.
A wonderful example of the white line art form is the Alderley Road approach to the traffic lights in Wilmslow, forcing single file traffic until two car lengths before the junction. Lots of wavy lines all over the place!
This would have cost thousands to design and paint.
Is someone in the highways department related to the white line contractors?

Completely agree and endorse the comments made by Bev Chapman. Thankless task being in public life. Tireless dedication given by Craig and Christine. Thank you to both.

I drive Macclesfield-Hazel Grove. Some lovely depressions in the road especially round Poynton. Not holes but collapsing manholes/grids. In addition utilities works leave a patchwork of trench lines that also sink. They all knock my car about something rotten. And it didn't used to be like this! Road works were done properly but now contractors get away with cheap fixes.

If my memory serves me right the smaller retailers have a good record of contributing towards the flowers and the Christmas Lights.Maybe the larger retailers should help pay towards both!

At last we have managed to move the Planter by Barclays Bank which Malcolm McLean so rightly pointed out was making visibility tricky when exiting West Street onto the London Road.

My apologies that it has taken so long but after a few failed human attempts to move it we had to resort to nudging it on its way with the water truck!

At least there is no danger of them being stolen!!

Blooming late - but blooming done!

Thank you Mike.

Walking through the village this evening I thought the planters were looking great - thanks to all involved!

If the potholes at the top of Brook Lane and the one just before the Davey Lane junction get any bigger we'll soon be potting plants in them. I always try to avoid them on my scooter but it's not always that easy in a vehicle. Caught the one by the junction this afternoon. Very dangerous.

What happened to the discussion and confirmation from the local Councellors of resurfacing of Hayes Lane from the roundabout to emmersons/granthams???

Were they overruled or just keeping us happy with promises, as the pothole near the layby is now a crator?

Hi Ian,

Major capital projects, as opposed to pothole filling, are programmed annually. The cost of resurfacing of Heyes Lane has been estimated at over £100,000 and although it was not included in the 2017/18 programme, I do expect it be included in the 2018/19 programme. I will give an update on this, once the list of projects is made available in March.

I am pleased to confirm that a 70 metre stretch of Wilmslow Road is to be resurfaced during February half-term, including the reconstruction of a 20 metre section at the junction with Brook Lane. This work is being carried out with residual funds from the current year’s programme (effectively money left over from other projects which came in under budget).

Whilst I recognise that Heyes Lane is in desperate need of repair, I was asked to prioritise between Wilmslow Road and Heyes Lane as there were not enough funds left over in this year’s budget to carry out repairs to both. As the busier of the two roads, I suggested that Wilmslow Road should be prioritised this year, with assurance that Heyes Lane would be done next.

Kind regards,
Craig