First the buses wreck Strait Bargate

surface - next threat is "silent running..."

A few days ago, under the headline “None so blind” we reported on the reaction of Brylaine buses and Lincolnshire County Council to complaints by Better Boston Group Councillor Brian Rush that damage was being caused to the surface of Strait Bargate by the intrusion of the Into Town buses.

Councillor Rush has kindly provided us with a detailed account of a meeting he had with the county council – and their reaction to his complaints.

“I was disturbed by responses of County Council Highways Officers, Anita Ruffle and Hamish McConchie, regarding my concerns about the growing damage being done to the pedestrian precinct Strait Bargate, so I arranged to meet them on site, Wednesday the 10th of November.

“I wanted to ask them also, about the blatant abuse of this area by vehicles, other than the buses, that seem to think it is a legitimate highway.

“I have tried to create a flavour of how the conversation went, so it may need a little reread every now and then.

“Mr McConchie, I have to say, is a fairly straight talking officer, but when we visited the point of most serious damage he began with the claim ‘that he is unsure how this damage is being caused.’

“I had to smile.

“While he, Anita Ruffle and myself, were inspecting this damage, two buses drove very close to us, both sets of nearside tyres ran the full length of the depression, almost like a predesignated track, which should have been a clue.

“‘Well now, after all this used to be a road,’ he said.

“When?

“'Way back`

“I must say I do remember it .... just.

“But has it been upgraded since then.

“Silence.

“He kindly offered ‘to rectify this damage, however caused,’ which was welcome.

“And the funds?

“His county highways budget!

“No... not his budget, our taxes.

“I reminded him that the consequence of his generosity means that someone somewhere, or rather many residents, will have less pothole filling done, or suffer a reduction in repairs, somewhere across the area. Yes?

“Yes, he said, but this is what happens when we repair highways.

“I told him I knew that but if it wasn’t for these d*** buses, no damage would have be done...Ahhh!

“Ok, so when would the work take place... ‘well, after Christmas to avoid disruption...nice of him... would the buses be diverted...yes. Oh! So it is possible to reroute them then ..Mmmmm!

“Ms Ruffle thought that I was wrong when I reported the continuing dissatisfaction of the majority of people regarding the ongoing INTRUSIVE INVASION.

She suggested that in her opinion people were now quite happy, in fact they had become very comfortable with the route and were no longer fearful or annoyed.

“To test her opinion, I offered to tap a few random people on the shoulder, and see if she was right. S`funny, but her response was that ‘she wasn’t here for that’ and in fact gave a definite little shrug of emphatic refusal.

“Why did she do this?

“Here was a chance to have her opinion confirmed.

“If she was right the chances are I would have picked some of her very happy shoppers, and ended up with egg all over my face....Yes? Er, no, I don’t think so!

“Do you know, that they didn’t know either, they didn’t know that other vehicles, other than buses were coming and going in the precinct as well...

“How could this be, I asked...?

“I have received numerous calls about this happening, in fact I witnessed one or two myself.

“`Well if that was the case,’ they said, ‘it is a matter for the police.’

“Oh really!

“Well maybe Boston Borough Council vehicles - i.e. stall erectors/movers had been given some police clearance or other permission to drive through? ‘No’ they said.

“So our own council are breaking the law every Saturday and Wednesday it seems.

“I pointed out that such vehicles did not have the mandatory beepers etc, ‘Ah well, Ms. Ruffle said, ‘we were thinking of trialling the buses without these, ‘cos shopkeepers are not happy with the disturbance.’ Really, so what about safety of hearing impaired pedestrians?....Mmmmm.

“I asked if some clearer signage might help at either end of the precinct to warn prohibited vehicles to keep out. Ah! This was a signs and lines issue, not their department ... budgets, as well you know.

“Do you know, I think I wasted my time, but I am looking forward to seeing just how much damage has been caused to the underlying drains, and how long it all takes.

“And I am going to ask for a full and complete breakdown of the costs involved..

Maybe Papa Dick can deliver the bill to Brylaine.. Now that’s a good idea, isn’t it? “Errrrrr!

Cllr. Brian Rush.

Editors's footnote: Whilst we fully understand that local councils not longer keep footpaths clear of snow in wintry conditions we wonder what the legal situation is on days like last Saturday. Whilst general pedestrian traffic through Strait Bargate had turned the surface to a navigable slush, the sheer weight of the Into Town buses had packed their route down to a perilous icy track. Who is responsible if anyone slips and falls as a result? It is one thing to claim that as footpaths are no longer cleared, the duty of care falls on the pedestrian user. But when the surface is made unexpectedly worse by the intervention of vehicles, is the bus company at fault ... or the county council ... or the borough council? Let's hope someone thinks about this before the next serious snowfall, and before someone falls and is injured.

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