Thames: Unacceptable Slipping Standards

Last weekend Thames Water completely fell over in Castellain Road, creating a real mess. At one point on Saturday we were almost tempted to get the scissors out ourselves and start snipping at the parking suspension signs, such was the attendant mess caused by Thames failing to get out of the road on the day they were supposed to. Neither did they cover themselves in glory in Wymering Road a few weeks earlier. We hope there isn't a pattern developing here.


We're currently pursuing the matters with both Thames and the Council's Parking department. Last Wednesday we filed a letter with both asking for explanations on 12 separate points:

• Thames overrunning in Castellain Road by nearly a week
• Thames not informed the Council of an overrun (so a gully cleaning suspension for the following day was not cancelled either)
• Thames suspending bays which were actually not needed
• Thames working outside of suspended areas
• Thames temporarily closing streets to traffic without permission
• Thames' consistent failure (despite having said they would) to remove the graffiti they have scrawled all over every road they have been in (naturally justified by that all encompassing and ubiquitous term, 'health and safety')
• a lack of clarity on the signs suspending parking bays
• not enough parking suspension signs covering the area they actually relate to
• why Thames felt the need to suspend Wymering Road 24 hours a day (given that their workers sometimes struggle to appear during working hours, never mind at 2.30am on a random Thursday)
• a slow response time to replacing incorrect signs suspending parking bays
• why the paving stones going down on Castellain Parade are a different colour to the ones already present
• why there is a parking meter out of service on Castellain

We've also suggested to Thames that they might consider a letter of apology to residents in Castellain Road.

Thames moved onto Elgin last week - and their ability to live up to the promises made earlier in the year is critical, given that the road has a lot more traffic. We are watching closely.

We'll let you know when Thames responds*.

Lee

* 106 days last time, so don't hold your breath.