Just 28% satisfied with condition of Manx roads

[Manx Bean 996]

I wonder if they would somehow find a way to fix potholes quicker if someone went round spraying a penis shape over each one with brightly coloured paint like I once saw in Ireland?

[Amadeus 2,488]

2 hours ago, Chef Raekwon said:

Hi Frank.  Just wondering if you had a website or anything?

I'm so glad you asked, yes I do - and I'm looking for contributors! We're the motoring mecca of Britain and didn't have a dedicated motoring site. Now we have one. Help me!  

[Non-Believer 12,943]

9 hours ago, the stinking enigma said:

Managers can't fix holes. Workers fix holes. The only real problem is that there are no workers left.

A pothole-dedicated team of two DOI workers managed to fill in two holes in one day last week.

Subcontractors' workers working on DOI jobs at various points around the Island are regularly told to "slow down" by their DOI overseers, as their workrate embarrasses that of the DOI's own staff.

Both of the above accounts from one of those subbie workers in the past 3 days.

[Apple 939]

16 minutes ago, Non-Believer said:

A pothole-dedicated team of two DOI workers managed to fill in two holes in one day last week.

Subcontractors' workers working on DOI jobs at various points around the Island are regularly told to "slow down" by their DOI overseers, as their workrate embarrasses that of the DOI's own staff.

Both of the above accounts from one of those subbie workers in the past 3 days.

Seriously? Is the now about keeping people in jobs etc or is there something else going on. Why are our politicians not seriously challenging this, as costs and time delays are well pout of control.

At the end of the day, who will be held accountable?

[asitis 5,792]

10 hours ago, Apple said:

As many as that ...

Those that own tracked vehicles !! LOL

[Non-Believer 12,943]

35 minutes ago, Apple said:

Seriously? Is the now about keeping people in jobs etc or is there something else going on. Why are our politicians not seriously challenging this, as costs and time delays are well pout of control.

At the end of the day, who will be held accountable?

I don't think it's about productivity, workrate or VFM, it's simply about keeping people in jobs and employment, even if they're doing next to nothing (nor is it all about the COVID effect). If that wasn't happening you'd have thousands on the dole and lots potentially looking to leave the Island.

We've now got well over £1M a day coming back onto the Island in VAT and Excise rebate, money isn't an issue. Allow the population to fall and all that could change.

[Derek Flint 4,156]

1 hour ago, Non-Believer said:

I don't think it's about productivity, workrate or VFM, it's simply about keeping people in jobs and employment, even if they're doing next to nothing (nor is it all about the COVID effect). If that wasn't happening you'd have thousands on the dole and lots potentially looking to leave the Island.

We've now got well over £1M a day coming back onto the Island in VAT and Excise rebate, money isn't an issue. Allow the population to fall and all that could change.

Remember what happened last time the UK found itself short of loose change....

On the roads thing, they are no worse than anywhere else in the British Isles. In fact, the arterial routes are better.

[doc.fixit 2,902]

But that is no reason for our roads to be bad.

[Non-Believer 12,943]

8 minutes ago, Derek Flint said:

Remember what happened last time the UK found itself short of loose change....

I thought that, but when you consider that our rebate levels are now virtually back up to where they were during the heady days of our "film industry", without us now having (much of) a film industry, something must be driving the level of economic activity to trigger those levels of rebate and that must be the activity of the population - what has replaced the film industry? Let that headcount drop and the economic activity must drop accordingly.

Without any of us knowing the minutiae of FERSA it's difficult to say of course but there is the Govt enthusiasm for growing the population and the economy to support this theory?

Edited November 24, 2020 by Non-Believer
Typo

[Amadeus 2,488]

Someone shared with me what a PITA it is to file a claim with the DOI if your vehicle gets damaged. The process doesn't seem to be designed for efficiency to say the least, so the figure given in the FOI answer on how many claims were made might not give the full picture. 

[John Wright 8,415]

15 minutes ago, Amadeus said:

Someone shared with me what a PITA it is to file a claim with the DOI if your vehicle gets damaged. The process doesn't seem to be designed for efficiency to say the least, so the figure given in the FOI answer on how many claims were made might not give the full picture. 

The law in the Island is different to in England. There’s a blanket exemption from liability unless you can demonstrate poor design or execution or poor repair. General deterioration and doing nothing about filling the pot holes does not give rise to liability, even if they are reported to DOI who then do nothing.

Highways Act 1986

120 Saving in respect of liability for condition of highway
[P1959/25/298]
Save as expressly provided by this Act, nothing in this Act with respect to the duty of the Department to maintain highways shall be construed as affecting any exemption from liability for non-repair available as the successor of the parochial surveyors

[Derek Flint 4,156]

3 hours ago, Non-Believer said:

I thought that, but when you consider that our rebate levels are now virtually back up to where they were during the heady days of our "film industry", without us now having (much of) a film industry, something must be driving the level of economic activity to trigger those levels of rebate and that must be the activity of the population - what has replaced the film industry? Let that headcount drop and the economic activity must drop accordingly.

Without any of us knowing the minutiae of FERSA it's difficult to say of course but there is the Govt enthusiasm for growing the population and the economy to support this theory?

The problem remains that the Island is a great place to live, but remains a niche offering 

[Lxxx 5,826]

2 minutes ago, Derek Flint said:

The problem remains that the Island is a great place to live, but remains a niche offering 

Increasingly turning into a niche for the type of people who like living on remote desert islands.

[Non-Believer 12,943]

3 minutes ago, Derek Flint said:

The problem remains that the Island is a great place to live, but remains a niche offering 

I looked back at the iomtoday article (still available online) that covered the VAT share increase, (I quote) "The FERSA Agreement (January 2016) determines a VAT share based on detailed surveys of household and business expenditure".

Both of which must be obviously hugely increasing in order to raise our "rebate" back to the pre 2009 levels we enjoyed. Hence, perhaps the need/enthusiasm to grow/maintain the population - fewer people means less household expenditure and perhaps businesses and associated expenditure too.

Incidentally, has anybody ever been asked to participate in one of these surveys either on a household or business expenditure basis?

[Max Power 6,601]

45 minutes ago, Non-Believer said:

Incidentally, has anybody ever been asked to participate in one of these surveys either on a household or business expenditure basis?

You have to be a HNW individual to be asked