Sydenham improvement works

[mosy]

Well, you do sound a bit condescending as if we don't understand the problems of co-ordinating works and the ensuing "following trades". It's when following trades (naming no names but it wouldn't take a genius) and things don't move at all for several days or weeks. Are you saying that workforces are focussed on alternative London-wide borough projects? If that is so, then fine, but that's not quite the same as saying that a trade is being held up by anyone except themselves. Edit: In other words, if they are not holding themselves up, who is?

[Rachael]

I would agree with JRobinson that the disruption has actually been much less than it might have been, and certainly better that those never-end gas-mains works. I don't mind a bit of retrospective digging up for minor jobs. Such procedures, while they seem counter-intuitive, can often be the lesser of two evils.

I'm not saying we shouldn't hold both Riney and Skanska to the highest standards, but without knowing the intricacies of project management on this scale, I'm not going to rush to criticise things that don't immediately seem to make sense. More than once comment has been made on this forum along this lines of: 'Why isn't this happening?' or 'Why have things been done this way and not that?' and it usually turns out there is a perfectly good reason.

[mosy]

Isn't that why we (me in this instance) ask such questions? To find out what that perfectly good reason is?
It'd be wrong to equate not knowing with dissatisfaction. What's wrong with asking?

[Rachael]

Nothing wrong with asking. But there is a difference between asking and moaning (which not everyone does, I'm not pointing any fingers). Best thing to do is ask the contractors themselves, rather than coming here to go:' Why, oh why...'.That way you get actual answers. On which note, I'm very grateful to all the posters who took the time to talk to the contractors and post back here.

[mosy]

I thought I'd read that Riney's work was done and that the contact shop was being kept open for a little while longer on a courtesy basis. Three cheers for Riney - can't fault their work or their helpfulness in providing information, even on work which was outside their remit. Not sure how to contact other contractor(s), nor would they welcome lots of enquiries for which there's no point if JRobinson knows what's going on - it'd be a lot easier if he just told us Thank you in advance JRobinson

[Steveofsyd]

Actually I do find it condescending (thank you for your support Mosey) and very presumptuous that I am so very "badly informed" that I am merely complaining for the sake of it without much thought.
This is presumably a company that has been doing this kind of project for a long time and had much experience in planning.
I have complained about things that are so badly planned that it has become rather laughable. Venner square has been re-dug at least 6 times since laid. If it was once or twice I might accept your argument but that is simply bad planning and unacceptable.
It would not be accepted by a private sector employer so why should the Council make do. I do hope that they are not charging by the day!
And finally I would say that our usual "turn the other cheek" attitude is why a lot of the road excavation projects in London are such a disgraceful state of affairs.

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[Rachael]

Fair enough, Steveofsyd -but if you feel that strongly about it, tell Riney, tell LB Lewisham. They don't read this forum. Not saying that you can't vent on here, but it sometimes feels like people post things here and feel like they've 'done something' when all they are doing is yelling into the abyss.

[Steveofsyd]

Thank you Rachael. I leave early for work and get home late. Weekends are the only time I can realistically ask the people in Riney's office and then again only every other Saturday due to family commitments.
So you see that is why I rely on others to give me the answers.
I do hope that everyone noticed that I made light of my last complaint by referring to "it would not be a Monday ...." Anyway it's all water under the bridge...

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[gerispringer]

No sign of trees yet. A few shrubs on roundabout.

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[Rachael]

Trees are due in November, so not long now.

[JRobinson]

I don't know the specific answers in this case - I don't work for Riney, Skanska, any of the sub contractors, or London Borough of Lewisham.

I do however work for a London borough, in the highways department, and I know how the smallest of jobs can take several weeks to get done, just because either the beaurocracy, or that nobody knows who's responsible for doing said job required. And that normally, there's a main contractor for the works, and they subcontract out a lot of stuff, so once it's out of the councils hands they have less control over what gets done when in what order.

each subcontractor will have work booked up months in advance so any small change to schedule could result in large delays.

digging up an area 6 times does seem excessive though, and this will look worse if they're all done after the new paving was laid.

here is a copy of the email that I've just sent to 'highways@lewisham.gov.uk'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Highways,

Please could you provide me with an update on the improvement works happening on Sydenham Road.
I’d like to know what work is remaining, and what time scale this is likely to take place over.
I am concerned about the number of times that the new paving has been dug up for other reasons since it was laid, and would like reassurance that this won’t affect the high standard of finish that we’re expecting.
I am a Sydenham resident, and am a user of ‘Sydenham Town Forum’ www.sydenham.org.uk’ and will report any answer that you provide to me on that medium.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide in this matter.

Jon Robinson.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[JRobinson]

reply recieved:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Jonathan

Thanks for your email.

I have spoken to the engineer on the Sydenham scheme and can confirm that all the Skanska reinstate works should be complete by the end of next week. We are just waiting for UKPN (UK Power Networks) to connect the feeder pillars to the mains which will provide the power for the pocket square lights.

The standard of paving won't be reduced as it has only been dug up once by Skanska and has been reinstated by the same contractor (JB Riney) that laid it the first time with any broken/defective slabs replaced.
I hope this is helpful.

[mosy]

Many thanks JRobinson. That is good news, especially about Riney relaying the paving slabs as I am another who was worried about disruption to the compaction of the earth for the slabs and subsequent settlement.

Apols to a party who I didn't name, lol, as it seems they have been held up through no fault of their own.

It's so much better once we know what's going on. A little info goes a long way

Thanks again.

[Eagle]

I like the new seating at the end of good old Venner Road. Only hope the all day drinkers do not discover .

Lloyds Bank also looks very posh.

[mosy]

I noticed that the Bishopsthorpe pocket seat, while dug up around it, seemed to have electrical cables running under it. Maybe that's why seats are back in favour - Short sharp shock? Only kidding of course.

[Whiftoff]

Does anyone know if the highstreet development is going all the way down to Bell Green. It looks like the pavement is being replaced as far as The Alfred but wasn't sure if it was going any further.

[Likelife]

Does anyone know if the highstreet development is going all the way down to Bell Green. It looks like the pavement is being replaced as far as The Alfred but wasn't sure if it was going any further.

Lewisham Council say on their website, that they're looking for more funding to improve the road from Kent House Road to Bell Green:

Following this [Mayow Road - Kent House Road works], and subject to further funding, the intention is to extend these works towards Bell Green during 2014–15. The extent of this will be dependent upon the level of investment that can be secured.

[Toots]

Wouldn't it have been lovely if someone with a design had been involved in the street furniture choice - not sure why something like this wasn't used http://www.benchmarkfurniture.com/stree ... _seafront/ as opposed to the cheap tat installed.

[Whiftoff]

They look nice but would be covered in tagged grafitti in no time. Agree that the new benches don't look that great though.

[leenewham]

Why would they be covered in graffiti?

The ones in Forest Hill aren't. Infact, having been involved in many high street improvement schemes alongside architects, i can't think of any seating that has been, or it even being an issue.

The area around the fantastic Forest Hill Pools is really well designed. The seating and bins are well chosen, the planting looks great and overall everything looks considered.

It's a shame the same level of design in Sydenham wasn't used. It's not difficult. I doubt there was much difference in cost between the different seating either. We have helped choose street furniture in other areas. There is nothing wrong with wood. London underground benches are metal and wood. They last and look great. They are about a grand a bench plus fitting. Nice bins are about £600 each plus fitting.

A few ideas (some even contain trees):
http://www.woodhouse.co.uk/escofet-godot.html

Instead of the light stacks we have we could have had customised ones like this with any design laser cut into the cladding:
http://www.woodhouse.co.uk/yas-island-lightstack.html

I particularly like this one with matching planters.
http://www.esi.info/detail.cfm/Streetli ... LE-114147_

Another:
http://www.esi.info/detail.cfm/Street-D ... 46_LE128LD

We could have had a permanent Christmas tree in the middle of rounded bench seating, the seating becomes a natural barrier, and gives the area a focus.

I know some say we should be grateful for what we have been given, but it was such a huge amount of public money to create something that doesn't really feel or look unique. When the market isn't there, the pocket squares are just places you walk through.

After seeing the initial plans, what we ended up with is disappointing. I've met with the council to discuss street furniture but it felt like I was talking to a brick wall. We have various local architects and designers. I'm not sure why we ended up with what we have. Areas need to feel unique. It's called place building.

An opportunity missed.

What if…