Tactile pavement

Harp

I had an interesting call from the council about tactile pavement. After they laid a new pavement near me, there was part of the tactile wasn't put back down. She looked at pictures a few years ago and now. she agreed it wasn't put back and will investigate why this happened.

While I had her on the phone there are a few junctions of some side streets which never had tactile pavement and I asked why.  She said they are many junctions which don't have it due to cost but they prioritise the routes which needs the most. I pointed out to her that parts of the council are trying to make the community inclusive but this makes it not inclusive to all. She said she knows and sorry that it is not possible with the costs.

She said if there a route where you need tactile pavement, then apply to ask if it can be done. I says, ok if I apply how long will it take. She said, it won't happen straight away and also it  depends if  there is the money  to do it.

newborn

It's worth asking for some things to be priced. That is, someone will put out to contract,or in the case of the council's own staff, they will put a price on the suggested work.  At the end of the year, some projects which would not normally have had much chance, may get carried out.

The reason is, that council departments will frantically ensure they use up all their annual budget at the year end.  It is a foolish practice, but they all do it. Suddenly at year-end, they must spend spend spend.

This leads to the situation where what is often called a 'Shelf Bid@ will suddenly be done at year end. It means they are not really getting their turn by going on the merit, or the fair priority of one scheme or another.  The department are simply looking as it were items along the 'shelf', to look at the price tags  on each project, until they discover one that is just the right price to use up the year's money.

Your tactile paving could easily have a chance to fit into that category, of using up the odds and ends of budget.   

(One council orders new stationery every year, but hardly uses any, so each year they have to put last year's supply into the basement boiler, to make room for the new order. Another council had a 'shelf bid' to refurbish the outside of a block of flats. It was exactly the right amount they needed to spend, so they did the work even though the flats were vacant, and about to be demolished.)