A section of a busy Brighton road has been dug up three times this year after the road surface failed to set properly, a fault blamed on the steep road’s topography.
The resurfacing of Ditchling Rise by The Signalman Pub is part of a series of road improvements in the area, including cycle wheeling ramps over the footbridge and an information sign.
But after the specially selected hard-wearing resin road surface failed to set twice, Brighton and Hove City Council is now hoping it’s third time lucky with a different road surface.
The issue was highlighted by resident Sarah Booker-Lewis, who said: “According to the email I was sent, this is a repeated cock up by contractors and as result we have no road surface by The Signalman.
“Three times this year they’ve had to strip the surface and re-lay it. How many times to get it wrong?”
In the email Mrs Booker-Lewis was sent, a council transport planner said the resin surface was chosen for its durability as the road is well used, including drays deliveries to the pub.
She said: “In the first application of the surfacing, the resin failed due to the length of time the new surface underneath had been in place (still rather oily) and we instructed the contractor to remedy the matter.
“The surface was planed out and the contractors planed too deep, leaving ruts in the surface. When the dressing was applied this failed again.
“I got our senior engineer involved to inspect the area with me, mainly because I was pushing for a full resurface to address the issues, but our engineer has advised this is not necessary and will inspect the surface preparation before a different type of surface dressing is applied.
“According to the supplier of the surface dressing, while it is the most hard-wearing, the product is unable to cope with the topography of the site area in order to set properly.
“So, I rather hope it is a case of third time lucky. Please be assured that all remedial works are at the cost of the contractor.”
Ditchling Rise
The surfacing works at the junction area of Ditchling Rise and Shaftesbury Place form part of a programme of measures agreed with representatives from Ditchling Rise Area Residents’ Association. Other items included the cycle wheeling ramps over the footbridge and tidying up of street tree pits and pedestrian wayfinding minilith. All measures were funded by the LSTF 2011-14 project. Further details of which can be found at this link: http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/parking-and-travel/travel-transport-and-road-safety/lewes-road-transport-improvements
The idea behind the surface treatment at Ditchling Rise/Shaftesbury, is to increase awareness of the junction area, in turn increasing legibility and perhaps adding to some speed reduction also. The works were delayed from last year while we co-ordinated the surface treatment with some scheduled maintenance works at this section of Ditchling Rise. The surface dressing being used was chosen for its durability, we have used the same product at Church Street/Jubilee Street/New Road junction where HGVs turn in to deliver to Tesco Express every day, so it sees some wear and tear and we are aware of drays servicing the pub regularly and that this section of road sees some anecdotally high usage for a predominantly residential street.
In the first application of the surfacing, the resin failed due to the length of time the new surface underneath had been in place (still rather oily), we instructed the contractor to remedy the matter. The surface was planed out and the contractors planed too deep, leaving ruts in the surface. When the dressing was applied this failed again. I got our Senior Engineer involved to inspect the area with me, mainly because I was pushing for a full resurface to address the issues, our engineer has advised this is not necessary and this evening will inspect the surface preparation before a different type of surface dressing is applied. According to the supplier of the surface dressing, while it is the most hard-wearing, the product is unable to cope with the topography of the site area in order to set properly.
So, I rather hope it is a case of third time lucky. Please be assured that all remedial works are at the cost of the contractor. I am very keen to ensure that any work I oversee is installed to a high standard from the off-set, particularly taking into account that the funds we are using are applied for and often hard won – these works need to last with minimal future maintenance cost.
I apologise for the rather lengthy response, I trust however that I have fully explained the matter. If you have any further queries or I can clarify anything further please do let me know.
Good to see in these times of austerity and council cutbacks that we can still find money to install such non-vital improvements such as “cycle wheeling ramps over the footbridge and an information sign”!
I wonder if all footbridges in the city be enhanced to this level?
Hi Gerard – you are quite right, the wheel cycling ramp over the footbridge is of little use to many sorts of bicycle and was strongly opposed by many, though the project was forced through under the then Green administration. It raised a lot of bad feeling as a result of poor consultation and a strong perception of political factionism. However we should not close our minds to other genuinely good ideas – can I suggest you join your residents association and make sure your views are heard? That’s the way to do it.
@Edward – thanks for the comments.
We don’t have this problem in Portslade as the previous (green) administration never spent anything on the area anyway – it was all focussed on cronyistic projects in ‘green land’ like your cycling ramp and the infamous bike stands in Havelock Road.
We’ve never had a green councillor in the area and the prospective MP for Hove and Portsalde in the last elections almost lost his deposit.
It is amazing how Journalists can find the time to help each other when they want but not on other occasions. There are far more important issues that need attending to than a road that The Council’s Highways Department already know about.