I ask because I attended a Borough of Poole subcommittee last week - Transport Advisory Group (TAG). Turns out it was the last of any of the meetings before the May elections. I was the only member of the public present, and I had registered to speak. I actually wanted to contrast both of the items on their agenda, but spoke against their plans for a gyratory system approaching the new Poole Lifting Bridge - Twin Sails.
Incredibly, though they only have £150,000 identified for the scheme, and the cost will be over £1M, they waved it through for officers to design and advertise.
My objections were around the inconvenience to all users of the routes, the isolation and discontinuities in making journeys by foot or on bike, and that more forward thinking councils are taking gyratory systems out because they are such a barrier to access in the heart of the town.
I was listened to politely, then most of their debate was around the streetscape of a new link - Marston Link Road, where one councillor opined that she'd prefer Roses at the road-side rather than trees as in the design. I did get the opportunity to point out that in the face of climate change, generations to follow might well need the summertime shade. I also expressed great regret that they had ignored all my points on the wider scheme in favour of minutiae.
But when I relayed this to a friend he suggested perhaps that councillors were just unequipped to challenge the officers. As far as I could see, there should have been no point approving planning until a much higher proportion of the funding stream was secured in these straightened times. The officers want to start building in June, to complete as the new bridge becomes available. Rushing it through just before the election may have been a cynical move to get passed before more enquiring new Councillors challenge the fundamentals.
Which, if elected (as I am standing for Oakdale), I certainly will. And if not elected, I will object again, and regretfully reflect on the potentially unnecessary work undertaken in haste. But having raised problems with the bridge and its approaches a decade ago, no doubt I will still be ignored.
One has to try.
A, to quote Eric, "green benevolent dictator" is what we need you to be - seriously i was relayed a similar tale regarding another council - the officer had some difficult bathroom upgrades to get through so rather than give them the figures he got the esteemed members discussing whether advocado or cream should be the colour for ther new suites - they felt very important as they made the decision around the detail, he got the money spent!
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