By courtesy of Peter Liddell, Coordinator of the BHBPA.

WSCC response to an enquiry by Councillor Simon Hicks regarding road and pavement conditions:-

Dear Mr Hicks,

Thank you for your email addressed to Derek Whittington dated 29/12/09 which he has asked me to respond to on his behalf. He also apologises for not doing this personally but has other commitments at this time.

There is no doubt that the winter service we provide was found wanting for the conditions we have just experienced. Our normal experience of snow in West Sussex is of something that generally comes and goes within a day or two at the most and this is what we plan and budget for, which for 2009/10 is £1.4 million. This is based on having to salt the network on 42 occasions during the winter, determined by the rolling average of the previous three years events. In actual fact this figure has been steadily increasing over the last five years when the budget was based on 36 salt runs.

We are fully committed to keeping the roads and pavements as safe as possible for the travelling public. However the road network is the first priority as this is where the highest risk of serious or fatal injury exists as was unfortunately highlighted in Cornwall before Christmas. Whenever ice or snow is forecast, we carry out precautionary salting on approximately 1600 kms of road, 42% of our network, to reduce the potential for ice forming on the road surface, which is above the national average. The Audit Commission recommends that 24% - 38% of the highway network should be pre-salted, which is the position adopted by most local authorities. Our primary resources were working continuously from Thursday 17th December up to Christmas spreading over 3000 tons of salt which is more than a quarter of our normal annual salt supply.

Our priorities for salting roads have been established on the basis of need and level of use. This generally includes for all main roads and a link from each main village to the main road network. Generally, no other roads will be salted except where there are prolonged icy spells or severe snow conditions, and then only after the main routes have been covered. This does mean that we can not respond to every request for roads to be salted as this may detract from our ability to keep the main roads free from ice and snow.

Despite the high level of service we provide, no guarantee can be given that treated roads will always be completely clear of ice and snow. It takes time for the salt to become effective after roads are salted. Rain can wash salt off roads leaving them prone to re-icing, and in severe cold weather even salt will not prevent roads from icing.

We do undertake hand salting of pavements where resources permit but this only happens when we are absolutely certain that the roads are clear. In times of persistent snowfall or extreme temperatures, this does mean that pavements may not be treated. Unfortunately if you consider the scale of the problem for something of relatively short duration you will appreciate that it is a near impossible task to do everything.

The public also need to act with greater care, motorists should drive according to the conditions of the road and with extreme caution, regardless of whether the roads have been salted or not. Equally pedestrians need to wear sensible footwear with some grip, and not smooth flat soled shoes.

Recent events have clearly been a learning experience and we will be reviewing these to see what further improvements can be made working with all partners. However, these do need to be practical and affordable.

For your information, we are preparing for more bad weather for which we aim to deposit salt at strategic locations around the county eg; main shopping areas and vulnerable locations such as hills. Resources for hand spreading will still be an issue but we are talking to District, Borough, and Town Councils to see how they can help, and of course the public will be able to utilise these if they so wish.

I hope this explains our policy and shows our commitment to the safety of all highway users in West Sussex.

Yours sincerely,

Stuart Smith
Highways Operations Manager
 

This will be held at the Felbridge Hotel on Tuesday 19th January from 6-9pm. The speaker will be John Jory, Chief Executive of Mid Sussex District Council, who will give us in insight into managing a District Council. This is a very different proposition from managing a business though you still have to balance income and expenditure. He has entitled his presentation “Who’s to Blame?”

John will present the view from the inside - who runs the Council, how the decisions are made and who carries them out. The extraordinary range of organisations you have to work with - the diversity of the services you have to provide.

When things go wrong - first reaction is - blame the Council. After Tuesday, you might find it a little more complex than that. John will take questions at the end, and there will be plenty of time for networking over a drink in very sociable surroundings afterwards. Why not come along and invite a guest
 

Our suggestion to increase the capacity of our road system to resolve the chronic traffic congestion on the A22 through the town was rejected by WSCC transport planners. This was primarily because the social and community costs would be unacceptable for any elected authority, but also for environmental and sustainability reasons. Having also established that the only remedy under consideration by the Council will take 5 years to implement and even then will make no recognisable difference to the A22 traffic, we asked whether it was worth investigating alternative solutions that increased traffic flows but were less damaging for the community.

As the “relief road” option had put alternatives on the back burner for some ten years the Council agreed to re-look at this and we received their response in December.

They basically stated that the policy framework within which they are required to operate does not afford priority to highway solutions to transport problems where the likely result is increased car use. This is primarily for environmental and sustainability reasons. Central Government directives require a switch to more sustainable transport choices for moving people and freight. Likewise more recently climate change concerns embodied in national goals demand a modal shift to public transport, cycling and walking.

Meanwhile, though no official figures have been compiled to confirm this as yet, we understand that East Grinstead’s locally employed population would appear to have been falling for some years now. Inward investment by businesses into a town where access, particularly during rush hours, is severely restricted is bound to be difficult. Our retail portfolio is likely to continue to dwindle, apparently until we can effect a significant modal change in our inhabitant’s transport habits.

Where do we go from here?

The planned meeting between the Alliance of Business Associations and the MSDC Parking team for Thursday of this week was postponed because of the weather. We await a revised date.
 

This was held at the Alexander House Hotel in November and was attended by almost 50 members and guests. After the formalities of announcing the changes in Executive and Sectional Sub Committee membership, all as posted on the web site, the Chief Executive made a presentation of the activities of the association over the past year.

The membership were then asked for their views on where the Executive should take the Association in 2010, and a lively and informative exchange of views then took place. Amongst the suggestions made were;

a) that the Association should take a proactive role in planning for and maximising the benefit to the town from the arrival of the Bluebell railway.
b) that the Association should do more to encourage a culture amongst its membership of placing business with other members and within the town before making enquiries elsewhere.
c) that the Association’s networking events be held in the evening rather than at lunchtime, and that they are not held too frequently, and that they are more structured with at least an hour for networking ahead of any follow-up meal.
d) that consideration be given to creating a membership directory available on the website for anyone to access.

These issues are now all under active consideration by the Executive.
 

Steve Tilbury, MSDC’s economic development officer has produced a creditable draft document based on discussions between the Alliance and the Council’s economic development team. This is based on seven principle objectives, and identifies the principle means available to achieve them.

The Alliance feels that it will provide the basis for a basic first strategy subject to it having at least the first year’s actions clearly identified with a view to monitoring their achievement and rolling them over on an annual basis for the five year duration of the strategy. It should enable business and the Council to work together on a coherent basis to enhance the local economy.

However, it has been structured on such existing economic data that happens to be available from other programmes allied to our members expressed priority concerns rather than on a coherent and objective economic survey of the strengths, weaknesses and trends of the local economy. This means that the strategy has less substance and integrity than it might have had, and the Alliance will seek to persuade the Council to ensure that a proper data base is assembled ahead of any updated strategy in the future, and that professional expertise is employed in assembling this data and then in using it to produce a strategy of greater substance.
 

EGBA is about to launch, together with MSDC and the Town Council, an initiative to try and mitigate the downside effect of empty shop windows on the aspect of our shopping centre. This will be dependant on the cooperation of the Landlords or Agents for the empty premises who we are now approaching.

Both Eastbourne and Brighton have successfully taken such steps which appear to have had benefits both for the appearance of the shopping centre and for the Landlords in getting new tenants quicker. We hope that our efforts will attract members’ attention in February, if not before. But as mentioned, this is subject to Landlords’ agreement and giving us access to their property

Shop Doorways
Winter is now upon us and there are a number of shops in the town who leave their doors wide open to the elements with subsequent heat loss, the source of which usually appears to be located directly above the doors.
To be told that this is to encourage shoppers to enter and to help people with wheelchairs and pushchairs is just not acceptable. People with wheelchairs and pushchairs do not need to be patronised and we as a society have not yet become so uncaring that other people do not offer assistance if there is a problem. If shops still cannot cope with this concept, then there is always the option of automatic doors - let us hope that the energy needed for these is not as great as that lost by the ever open doors.

It would appear that all too often the environment and commerce are incompatible and no amount of individual saving of carrier bags will make the slightest difference if companies do not adopt a responsible attitude to caring for the planet.
Mrs JG Harrison.

Footpaths
Having suffered what might have been a fall with serious consequences on Saturday, when negotiating a footpath bordering Iceland’s car park, I have emailed Nicholas Soames expressing my dismay and disgust at the state the centre of the Town has been left in by the lack of action of the relevant authorities; and would enquire whether EGBA has, or intends to add its voice to what the Courier has informed me is a growing number of outraged residents. No doubt Mr Soames will say that he has contacted WSCC or the Highways Agency and that due to lack of funds or labour nothing could be done to ensure the safe passage of pedestrians intent on accessing EG shops and businesses, but I have made it clear that I would find that completely unacceptable.

So might I ask what value does EGBA place on the maintaining of safe access about the town, and should not part of the Council Tax, or in your case the Business Rates that we pay be devoted to ensuring it?
Roger Shanaghan.

Free training for women thinking about setting up a business.
Five workshops held in Worthing between January 20th and February 11th from 10.0am till either 2.30 or 4.00pm.
Contacts: Business Link 0845 600 9006 or www.bringyourideastolife.co.uk 
 

Free Event to be held at Martletts Hall Burgess Hill on Tuesday 2nd February from 5.30 to 8.00pm

How can apprenticeships benefit your company and give your employees – both existing and future – the skills they need. Hear from the National Apprentice Service, local colleges providing specialist apprenticeship training and other experts - and from apprentices themselves about the programme.

Contacts: Steve Tilbury 01444 477347 SteveT@midsussex,gov.uk 
 

25th February – Turners Hill School – 19.00hrs to 21.00hrs
The latest renewable energy developments, as well as information on how to tap into grants and funding sources.

Contacts: sustainabilityt@midsussex.gov.uk  or Tel: 01444 477370
 

Last year’s successful exhibition will be repeated again this year and will be held on 14th May in the Martlets Hall in Burgess Hill. If you would like to exhibit the cost is £50 for members and £150 for non-members, and you should contact Peter Liddell on peter.liddell@bhbpa.co.uk

This will be held at the East Grinstead Sports Club 6-9pm.

The speaker will be Paul Paine, Operations Manager, NUS Consulting Group. He will give a presentation on ‘Energy Cost Recovery and Savings’ covering:
• Control and reduction of energy costs through strategic supply contract purchasing
• Recovery of overcharges through bill audit and analysis
• Carbon reduction commitment implications and associated costs

This is something that will affect and be of interest to all businesses – so make a note in your diary now.