Road repairs - Dolphin Lane

A big one this - and long overdue. Cllr Stacey and I have been pushing on a number of roads in this part of the ward and Dolphin Lane has been in particular need of work. It is about to start, which is a good bit of news for residents.

The work is scheduled to start during the week of the 21-25 April 2014. It is expected to take up to fifteen days and the crews will be working on site on weekdays between 9:30am and 4pm.

Amey will put signs on the road to confirm the precise start date.

As vehicles can't drive over hot tarmac, the section of the road affected will be closed to all traffic while surfacing is being carried out.

If you require access for medical/personal reasons, you can contact Amey on 0121 303 6644 (option 2), to discuss how access can be arranged. Pedestrian access will be maintained as well as access for emergency vehicles. That number can also be used for any other questions that you might have. 

During working hours, it will not be possible to park on the road. Cars left will have to be removed and this may incur a cost to the registered keeper. There are also likely to be speed and width restrictions while the work is carried out, as well as road closures. 

Sorry for the inconvenience, but this work needs to be done and is usually completed well within the time allocated. 

Snaglist

Here's a sample of work scheduled and completed across the ward recently thanks to the intervention of the Labour team. 

Faulty street lights

On the Shirley Road/School Lane roundabout, at the junction of Shirley Road and Dolphin Lane, Oakhill Crescent, Yardley Road (including the belisha beacon), Westley Road, Flint Green Road, Shirley Road.

Damaged bollards repaired

Warwick Road/Westley Road junction (at the Green roundabout), Station Road/Oxford Road/Sherbourne Road junction.

Potholes

A couple of impressive examples of this species appeared - one particularly deep one on the Warwick Road lozenge roundabout opposite Lincoln Road North and another on the junction of Stockfield Road and Warwick Road, both of which were genuine hazards to road users. Both have been fixed. 

Other issues

Elsewhere, Amey will also be repairing the damaged trip rails on Warwick Road opposite Stockfield Road. 

A couple of weeks back, I was walking down Dudley Park Road and noticed that a deep hole had suddenly  opened up in the footpath just by the junction with Station Road. This was quite an urgent risk, given that it was potentially a serious trip hazard for any pedestrian, so I had the Amey hit squad out that same morning to perform a fix. The drainage team will need to have a look, as a void appears to have opened up beneath the footpath, so this might not be a permanent repair. 

A defective road sign on Weston Lane is to be realigned and adjusted to protect cyclists. This isn't part of the patch, but has been raised by a constituent, so I've raised it and Amey will be out to fix it. The sign warns drivers turning into Weston Lane from Battery Way to expect cyclists crossing the junction following the cycle route down into the dead end. Sadly, it was installed too low on the pole and has been turned round so that drivers can't see it. 

We've also got a problem with blocked gullies around the Spring Road station. Amey have been to have a look and the problem is actually with a blocked public sewer, which is maintained by Severn Trent. They've flagged it and I'll chase it myself with a contact with Severn Trent. 

Elsewhere, working with the landlords of the flats on Sherbourne Road, we had the access drive extended slightly to allow our bin wagons to be sure of access to the bin stores, as there was a period of several weeks when we weren't able to clear rubbish. An untaxed vehicle was parked on the private drive and prevented our trucks getting close enough to safely manoeuvre the large wheeled bins - the crews were trying daily at one point. 

Snaglist

A little bit of good news for the poor residents on Tyseley Lane who complained about the awful noise caused by an ill-fitting drain cover on the Warwick Road. Amey were out today reconstructing it and have now resolved the problem - so that means that the residents should get a good night's sleep tonight. I was lucky enough to run into them at the Yarnfield police meeting, so was able to share the good news with them. It has taken some nagging at Amey to get this sorted.

Lighting Columns to be Fixed
Three along Warwick Road, one on Dolphin Lane, one on Flint Green Road

Gulleys to be cleared
Spring Road, Onslow Road by the junction with Tyseley Lane

Planning Applications to 24 November 2012

A Christmas planning rush!

2012/07043/PA - 1073 Warwick Road
Change of use of first and second floor from dwelling use (C3) to beauty salon (Sui Generis).
'Sui generis' classes are those that don't fit into the usual range of classes listed here.

2012/07688/PA - The Oaklands Primary School, Dolphin Lane
Erection of two storey extension to accommodate 6 no. classrooms and associated external works (this is to allow the expansion of the school to cope with the increase in school age children. 

2012/07821/PA - 1091 Warwick Road
Erection of conservatory to front & single storey rear extension, installation of staircase to rear

2012/07754/PA - 122 Westley Road (land at rear)
Erection of 1 no. 3 bedroom detached dwelling house

2012/07692/PA - 56 Mayfield Road, Tyseley
Erection of single storey rear extension

You can find the details by inputting the reference number into the Council online database here

If you have any comments, you can submit them online - feel free to pass your comments on to me.

Planning Applications to 27 October 2012

Just a couple of applications this week:

2012/07029/PA - Christadelphian Care Homes, 17 Sherbourne Road

Installation of 3 dormer windows and 4 velux roof lights to allow internal alterations to provide staff room, male/female changing/ and creation of a 2 bed flat

2012/07180/PA - 221 Dolphin Lane
Erection of single storey rear extension


You can find the details by inputting the reference number into the Council online database here

If you have any comments, you can submit them online - feel free to pass your comments on to me.

Not on my turf

Just a couple of examples of graffiti that has sprung up in Acocks Green recently - I can only guess at the words behind APL, but the swastika makes the meaning clear.

I reported it last week and it was cleared well within 24 hours. Top marks to the graffiti clearance team. Just another benefit of me living on the patch....

Also on the radar was a fallen branch from a street tree on Dolphin Lane, a result of Sunday's high winds. Cllr Stacey had that cleared quickly, allowing the homeowner to get out of their drive again. It looks like some work will be required to the tree to make it safe, but the immediate problem has been solved.