Forum Topic

Extinction Rebellion vs Roadworks

XR are back in the news. New or probably recycled protests coming up apparently.I should just add that I do not agree with their methods. But cycling pass the unmanned roadwork and temporary single lane on Lower Richmond Road today I'm in no doubt which of the two are more of a concern to the public.Contrast how the two are treated:XR: New laws, statement from the Met commissioner and Home office Minister.Road Works repeated and often unmanned: Silence.Now I could understand if XR were a violent group or dangerous, but the response is disproportional - why?Are XR being used by the government to distract us from the things that they should be doing?

Ed Robinson ● 1402d19 Comments

"bundled onto a plane without the chance to get legal representation" when we know that there have been years of Windrush scandal.  Or being threatened with deportation because you weren't born in the UK but in Germany because your father was serving in the RAF there.  Why make such a fuss about people's peaceful demonstrations?How often do you find any roadworks actually being carried out at night or 24/7?

Philippa Bond ● 1393d

Philippa I do not think the costs are relevant. It was a chartered flight so most of the costs are fixed - I assume if it was 70 it would probably be £4,300 per person. We do not want mass deportation just to get low costs per head surely??Australia and New Zealand have had a falling out over deportation where people had lived almost their entire lives in Australia but we're being deported to New Zealand.Ardent made a strong case. It seems the UK is on the wrong side in some of these instances it would seem.https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/28/jacinda-ardern-lashes-scott-morrison-for-testing-friendship-over-deportations-to-new-zealand

Ed Robinson ● 1394d

Only seven deported on that plane and 90 were expected to go.Apparently that is at a cost of £43,000 a person.  https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/aug/11/uk-deportation-flight-jamaica-leaves-seven-people-onboardI thought it was a diversion from what else the Home Office is up to.  It is interesting that since XR's protests at the offices of the billionaire newspaper owners who have been denying a Climate Emergency there seem to be more articles.  I guess the floods and heatwaves and fires made it more difficult to ignore.

Philippa Bond ● 1394d

There is a different bit dug up now with temporary traffic lights between the petrol station and high St.No one visible!Following the Annie themes- Perhaps they are there but we just can't see them - stealth technology?? Predator?

Ed Robinson ● 1397d

I presume it was as some sort of emergency investigation work because utility companies do have to plan their works so that there aren't or shouldn't be roads being dug up by one utility after another and as I understand it they liaise with the LA and it costs them when they do this.  Sometimes they can't fix something immediately but have to wait until all the arrangements have been put in place.  Mending a pipe in one place often puts stresses on other parts of the system and so you get another break.Constant and heavy use of roads does mean they have to be dug up every so often for maintenance.  The other Sunday there were no tubes and we avoided Putney because of the traffic but still had a problem later at the top of Inner Park Road and had to do a big detour around the Golf Course. I don't see what roadworks have to do with Extinction Rebellion.  Different departments surely?

Philippa Bond ● 1397d

Were these the works or the return of the works :)"Lower Richmond Road SW15 two-way temporary traffic signals outside number 26 for ThamesWater utility works commencing 18/08/2021 to 20/08/2021. Contact: Thames Water 0800 3169800."https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/media/2256/roadworks_events_bulletin.pdf

Ed Robinson ● 1399d

Ha ha ha, Ed!  I hope not in the near future!

Ivonne Holliday ● 1399d

Brilliant news!!Do you happen to know why the road was dug up?

Ivonne Holliday ● 1399d

Like the terminator  - they will be back :)

Ed Robinson ● 1399d

Suddenly this morning they’ve gone.Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 1399d

I walked past the hole this morning. No sign of any work being done since about last Thursday. Because the obstruction is opposite the Commondale turning they have put a three-way traffic light system in place. That inevitably slows everything down. The two Commondale bus stops on either side have been shut down. Many bicyclists are completely ignoring the lights.I thought utilities had to put up signs saying who they were (or who they were contracted by) and when they expected to finish. This one seems to be completely anonymous. Gas? Water? Electricity? Drains (Commondale was flooded recently by overflow from the storm drain that runs under the LRR)? This bit if pavement/road has been dug-up frequently in the last two years. LaParmigiana must be badly affected.Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 1400d

Saw the road works yesterday down by the Spencer, the ground has been dug up, but looked like on the pavement. No workmen about.

Barbara Stevens ● 1401d

Absolutely agree. There should be a £s forfeit for every hour a work site is unmanned.

Simon Knight ● 1401d

Yes Simon it is unmanned and repeat roadworks that I'm drawing attention to.The only solution I can see is that the utilities should be charged by meter/hour for works at such a rate that they would have to be completed efficiently.We are meant to be in a climate emergency after all and congestion leads to more air pollution. If the mayor hasn't got the powers he should call for some more!

Ed Robinson ● 1401d

I hate roadworks as much as anybody but accept that if work needs to be done it needs to be done.What really gets my goat is huge delays and not a workman to be seen!

Simon Knight ● 1401d

"How many people were taken off that last charter plane?"Too many.

Sue Hammond ● 1401d

This almost implies its XR or utility companies? Perhaps the real problem is utility companies might donate to Conservative party funds but XR certainly won't? Maybe it comes back to politics and the fact that if utility companies hadn't been privatised - or at least the part that does distribution and delivery to premises - it might be easier to manage and control them as part of a coordinated delivery service so they didn't all dig up the road randomly? However, the system we have now presumably meets the current government's open competitive attitude towards business, while they would view XR and their actions as impeding the market economy? I doubt it's a conspiracy to obfuscate anything, just a situation arising from dogma and incompetence?  

Michael Ixer ● 1401d

UFO, I now believe some people must of come from another planet, as they aren't on our's heaven help them. Anyway back to the original post. Hope no dreadful traffic jams today like the other weekend.

Barbara Stevens ● 1402d

Or shouldn't be doing like deporting people who have a right to be here.How many people were taken off that last charter plane?

Philippa Bond ● 1402d