Many of you will have had letters or seen publicity about the resurfacing programme that will take place shortly on key roads in the village including Chapel Road, New Church Road and Queens Road. However the term MicroSurfacing may have had many of you reaching for Wikipedia or simply scratching your heads in bewilderment!
So what is it?
The wait is nearly over and we will soon be seeing it in action but for those who would like to be prepared we have found the video (below) that should help you understand what will happen. The video is from the US but the principle is exactly the same here.
As you can see from the video a thin layer of surfacing is laid over the road once obvious defects such as potholes and larger patches have been repaired. In our case these defects have already been attended to in past weeks, so all that is needed is the application of the road surfacing material. During most of this time through traffic will be blocked, but access to your property will be maintained wherever possible; there may be constraints when the material is actually being laid outside your driveway of course. Once the preparation is completed, though, and the surface is being laid it is normal for one side of the road to be completely closed until the surface is solid enough to take traffic (about half an hour).
How can you help?
Be patient, the road will be much nicer when it is finished.
Do obey the signs saying no parking because parked cars will prevent work taking place until the owner is traced and the vehicle moved.
Early October sees the return of Ringway to do more Micro-Surfacing works on our roads. This work will necessitate road closures with restricted access particularly whilst the micro-surfacing has been newly laid. There will also be parking restrictions to allow the whole road surface to be addressed. Be aware that the dates may vary slightly if weather interferes with the works.
Chapel Road – Thursday October 1st – 6th, with the road closed for 4 working days, a diversion will be in place, access to driveways restricted at times, road open throughout the weekend . This will affect bus routes – enquiries are being made about the effect this may have so come back and visit later, we will post any updates on this page. Immediately prior to the surfacing works Anglian Water will also be undertaking works between 28th – 29th September – Chapel Road will remain open but with traffic light controls past the works.
Chapel Lane – Wednesday October 7th, road closed for 2 days – diversion in place, access to driveways restricted at times.
Queens Road – Wednesday October 7th, road closed for 2 days – as Chapel Lane above.
New Church Road – Wednesday October 7th, road closed for 2 days – as Chapel Lane above. This will affect school traffic – a letter has already been sent out to parents from the school.
If you have any queries you are invited to contact Ringway on 0845 603 7631.
What is Micro-Surfacing?
It is a thin, tough layer of asphalt emulsion blended with finely crushed stone for traction. This is a cost-effective method to renew the road surface and seal minor cracks and other irregularities.
Forward planning
The end of October may see slightly heavier traffic than usual on the B1508 Colchester Road as it becomes a diversion route for traffic normally using the Sudbury Road in Bures.
We have been provided information below by Essex Council, if you, or those you know, rely on local bus services then we encourage you to respond to this consultation. The details suggest that ECC has proposed minor changes to the 17 and 66/66A services but the Sunday 67B service appears to have been rerouted so that it no longer serves the village. This will need checking out more thoroughly during the consultation period. ECC has not included Chambers’ 754 – 6 services in their affected/unaffected list because these routes have no subsidised journeys.
Local Bus Service Network Review Consultation September 2015.
Over 2015, Essex County Council (ECC) is carrying out a thorough review of its support for contracted local bus services across the County. The role of the County Council under the Transport Acts is to look at where market failure occurs in the bus network, decide whether a service is needed, and if, in the council’s opinion, it is, then to provide one.
Early Review
The County Council needs a way to balance the differing potential transport needs of residents when allocating funding and to manage the network in the light of changes to the commercial bus network, travel demand and changing corporate priorities over time. As part of the review the County Council carried out a series of Area Review Meetings throughout June and July 2015. We have listened to the comments, suggestions and ideas that were raised through these meetings and took them into account when re-planning the network.
Consultation
Over September and October 2015 the County will be carrying out a more detailed consultation that sets out a range of proposed route and service revisions to the contracted local bus network and a revised policy for determining the priority that will be given to supporting different types of service in future. This consultation will take the form of a district based questionnaire, asking for views on changes to the contracted bus network in each district/borough/city with supporting information. These will be made available on line and through the public library network. We will also make them available through as many parish/town/district council offices as possible. Hard copy of these documents will be available from the week commencing 21st September 2015
A supporting document, explains in more detail the contract changes, how they will affect our customers and how demand responsive transport works. It also lists timetables where a change has been proposed. This document can be found on line at:
Whilst we encourage residents to complete the survey on line, we understand a paper copy is sometimes preferred. If you require additional copies of the questionnaire please ring 08457 430 430. There is a freepost address to aid the return of the questionnaire.
If you or the residents you are representing have a visual impairment or need assistance completing the questionnaire, there is the option of completing the survey over the telephone, or obtain it in an alternative format by calling 08457 430 430.
The closing date for submitting the survey is the 21st October 2015.
Once the consultation is complete, the replies received will be considered carefully and used to help finalise the proposals that will then be considered for approval by Essex County Council’s Cabinet. We will also collate all the responses from the survey and summarise them as part of our report, although it will not identify individual people and your name will not be mentioned in the reports that we write for this purpose.
Yours sincerely,
Helen Morris
Place Commissioning
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: – 08457 430 430
Following further discussions with bus companies we are now able to provide a fuller update on bus routes and stops in use whilst the sewers are repaired in Lexden Road (expected to be until Wednesday 9th September but could be longer).
All buses that would normally complete the “West Bergholt loop” will now be running up and down Chapel Road only, using Mumford Road and Donard Drive to turn around. Only the Chambers 753/754 will continue along Colchester Road as a whole, the other buses will not be running along Lexden Road or the top part of Colchester Road by the Treble Tile (see map).
The following bus services will be affected:
17 – Hedingham School Service – West Bergholt to Stanway School
755 / 756 – Chambers School Service – West Bergholt to Norman Way Schools
66 – First Essex – West Bergholt to Colchester/Old Heath
67b – First Essex – West Bergholt to West Mersea
Please wait for your buses at the waiting areas along Chapel Road and only the part of Colchester Road past the roundabout to the Maltings where the school buses would normally stop.
Apologies for late notice on this but we have been advised that due to a sewer collapse requiring urgent works, Lexden Road will be closed to traffic for most of the distance between Sackville Way and Orpen Close. The closure took effect from 25th August and could last for up to 21 days (15th September).
Emergency & Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times, any enquiries to Anglian Water’s contractor on 01449 678932.
The recommended alternative route, being more appropriate for through traffic rather than local journeys, is via Colchester Road and Chapel Road.
Update
Following an enquiry about buses, we have contacted First (66 & 67) who assure us that all bus stops remain open but that there is a diversionary route through Mumford & Donard Roads – it is expected that other operators will do similar, please advise if you find different.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of all health and social care in England. They have powers to register, monitor and inspect all health & care services and, in September, they are visiting Colchester to find out what you have to say about local services, in particular those provided by the Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust. Taking place on Monday 7th September between 6pm – 7:30pm, at Colchester Town Hall (in the Grand Jury & West Committee rooms), you are invited to meet with the CQC’s inspectors and share your experiences with them. Of course, if you can’t wait until then, you are able to share your experiences anonymously at any time by contacting the CQC on:
The CQC’s inspection method when reviewing a hospital or other service is focussed around 5 key questions:
Are they safe? Are you protected from abuse and avoidable harm?
Are they effective? Do they provide your care, treatment and support achieving good outcomes, helping you to maintain quality of life and based on the best available evidence?
Are they caring? Do staff involve and treat you with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
Are they responsive to people’s needs? Are services organised so that they meet your needs?
Are they well-led? Does the leadership, management and governance of the organisation make sure it’s providing high-quality care that’s based around your individual needs, that it encourages learning and innovation, and that it promotes an open and fair culture?
A water leak has been detected near Heathlands School. Engineers, working for Atkins on behalf of Essex County Council, will be investigating this between Thursday 20th and Friday 21st August. As part of the investigation they will be excavating alongside water meters near the junction of New Church Road and the access road to Heathlands School.
The works to find this water leak should have no impact on any residents as the engineers will be confining the works to the school grounds as much as possible. If there is any reason to change these plans the engineers will tell us as soon as possible, please contact the Parish Clerk if you have any queries.
A new audio webcasting system is now in place streaming live from some of our council meetings and debates, available through our website and twitter feed, or you can choose to catch up later.
Links to the audio are from the ‘Your Council’ tab of essex.gov.uk with recordings available alongside meeting details and agendas. You can jump straight to a specific agenda item if that’s all you want to hear again.The Full Council meeting broadcast is planned for 14 July and committees of the council have also started to come online. Look out for tweets with links to the audio stream at the beginning of each meeting on the @ECC_DemSer twitter feed.
Telephone calls to Essex County Council’s Contact Centre now start with a recorded message about call charges. This follows new legislation introduced by the communications regulator Ofcom and the Advertising Standards Authority for 084, 087,09 and 118 numbers, as part of the national UK Calling scheme.
Callers to the Contact Centre on all 0845 numbers are informed that calls cost 5p per minute plus the access charge from respective service providers.
The number of unrepaired potholes on county roads has fallen.
In the three months leading to June 30, unrepaired potholes and carriageway defects on the county’s busiest roads have reduced by 70 and 75 per cent respectively, compared with the same period last year.
According to Essex County Council figures, potholes and other carriageway defects were maintained at under 350, with 137 on the county’s busiest roads and 206 on main and key roads.
Outstanding carriageway defects on local roads have also fallen over the same period, from 5,212 to 4,626, with 2,581 potholes repaired, continuing the positive trend seen over the previous three months.
Since the same period last year, carriageway defects on local roads are down by 23 percent, from 6,001 to 4,626.
Have a summer holiday to remember with Essex Outdoors
Essex Outdoors exciting 2015 summer holiday programme for 8-16 year olds has been released. Centres in Bradwell, Danbury, Harlow and Mersea will be running School Holiday Activity Days, which include up to four activities in one day, between 23 July and 28 August.
Activities include aerial trekking, archery, bouldering, BMX, canoeing, caving, climbing, kayaking, low ropes, orienteering, zip wire and much, much more. Harlow is running additional climbing days as well as canoe and kayak days between 23 July and 28 August, with Bradwell also running a canoe day on 18 August.
Activity days are the perfect way for children and young people to try the challenge and excitement of new activities. Activity days cost £30 per day or buy four days and get the fifth free.
Dates, times and activities vary per centre so please check the website for full details or contact your nearest centre.
Aiming High for Disabled Children – summer programme
Essex Outdoors will be running the ‘Aiming High for Disabled Children’ programme this summer. The programme offers a range of day and overnight activities for free to disabled children and young people who are aged 8 to 18, as well as their carer.
The programme includes:
Activity days at Harlow from 24 July to 28 August
Activity days at Danbury on 28 and 30 July
Sailing/crabbing day at Bradwell on 25 July
One night break in either Bradwell or Danbury on 15 August.
Mersea Island Festival overnight (five nights from 23 August)
Mersea Island Festival day visits from 25 to 30 August
Please note participants must live within the administrative boundary of Essex County Council to qualify for free places. For eligibility as well as dates, times and activities per centre please check the website.
Join us at this special dog themed fun day for dogs and their owners on Sunday 9 August in Colchester’s Castle Park.
Bark in the Park will transform the open space in Colchester’s park into a dog and dog owner’s extravaganza. This event, led by Colchester Borough Council’s Animal Control Team, will offer everything man’s best friend needs.
There will be plenty to keep the whole family (and their dogs) amused throughout the day and visitors are assured of a great day out. Owners will also have the chance to enter their pet pooches into the various dog show events that will take place during the day.
Dog Show Categories
Best Young Handler
Smiliest Staffy
Most Gorgeous Rescue
Handsomest Dog
Prettiest Bitch
Calmest Tail
Best Trick
Overall Best in Show
There will be entertainment and demos, competitions and prizes, K9 Aqua Sports, dog agility, doggie trade stands and much more! Make sure you register online (for free) to enter one of the seven pet Dog Shows on the day! Find out more here.
A brand new tourism video promoting Colchester has been created to showcase everything that the Borough has to offer! If you haven’t had a chance to watch it on their YouTube channel yet, then here it is:
Every year the national Summer Reading Challenge aims to keep the country’s children reading throughout the holidays and as this year’s theme is ‘Record Breakers’, Essex Libraries wants as many pledges of support as possible to set a new Guinness World Record™ for ‘the most number of pledges received for a reading campaign’, and to contribute to an Essex record.
Children pledge to visit their local library, read six books of their choice and collect stickers in six categories to secure medals. Adults and volunteers pledge to support children to read. Older children can take part in a reading and arts programme called ImagiNation.
Councillor Roger Hirst, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Libraries, Planning and the Environment said:
Getting more children to read for pleasure during the summer holidays will be a fantastic achievement. This record attempt will be used to highlight the importance of reading for pleasure as well as the importance of libraries in communities. I want to see Essex playing its part in creating this new world record.
The Summer Reading Challenge is produced by The Reading Agency in association with Guinness World Records™ and delivered by libraries, bringing together fact and fiction and helping young readers to discover some wonderful and truly amazing records from around the world.
Note – the Mobile Library’s next visits are scheduled for 21st July, 4th August, 18th August and 1st September visiting Albany Road, Lexden Road, Queens Road & Chapel Road on each of those afternoons.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service wants your views on how it keeps you safe in your home and community.
Residents are being urged to have their say in the future redesign of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS), through a 12 week consultation that starts today (Monday June 15) and ends on Sunday September 6.
The consultation process, the main element of the Fire Authority’s Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP), aims to address several key issues impacting on the fire service such as the declining number of call-outs and the need to increase the focus on preventing fires and emergencies from happening.
It will also look at major issues such as response times, and the ambitious target of having a working smoke alarm in every Essex home.
Baby and Toddler Rhymetime veteran volunteer Peter Cave is 91 and is living proof you are never too old to volunteer; Peter Cave has been volunteering at the Baby and Toddler Rhymetime session at Chelmsford Library since earlier in the year and intends to carry on his sterling singing and storytelling role after he turns 91 – why not get involved yourself?
Better service, same price
Frozen prices, more options and an improved Meals on Wheels service is coming your way. Essex County Council (ECC) took a decision that will see prices for Meals on Wheels frozen and the service improved, following today’s Cabinet meeting. As part of the decision, a one year extension has been agreed to the county’s existing Meals on Wheels service.
Get exploring!
Go on an adventure in one of our country parks and send us a picture from your trip to win free parking for six months!
Colchester Local Highways Panel funding
Colchester Local Highways Panel (LHP) is set to benefit from a £1million boost which will enable a variety of small highways schemes to get underway. Essex County Council is allocating the funding to Colchester LHP for 2015/16.
Projects will include upgrading the public footpath near Wivenhoe railway station to provide disabled access, building a new wooden bus shelter on St Ives Road in Peldon and pedestrian crossing improvements on Plume Avenue in Prettygate.
