News: May 2014

Date posted: 14/05/14

Warped Priorities of the Council

Dear Sir,

I am rather puzzled by the resurfacing activity that has been taking place in many of our towns and villages, as are many of the residents that I have spoken to, as there was no obvious need for such largess from Northumberland County Council. I must confess to a certain giddy pleasure as I cruise over such immaculate road surfaces at a heady 30mph, but is this really a top priority for council investment when budgets are tight and much of our road infrastructure elsewhere appears to be falling apart?

I certainly do not enjoy motoring on many of our rural roads, where the pot holes are now more akin to craters. It is tempting to describe some of our very minor rural roads as farm tracks, such is the state of their disintegrated surfaces, except that farmers tend to maintain their tracks. Heaven only knows what the tourists will make of it, particularly those visiting on motorbikes. If I sound rather bitter it could be because, like many others, I have just written out a large cheque for a new tyre and various bits of my suspension.

To add insult to injury, I now learn that the council is poised to spend £370,000 resurfacing the cycle path between Alnmouth and Warkworth. I daresay that it will be jolly nice for a few cyclists, but is it really the most crucial highway investment in the county? It seems that a limited budget is being squandered on rather pointless pet projects, while the majority of the county road infrastructure is left to rot.

Yours

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