[BBC News] Plans for £4m black spot solution

[homarus]

But £4 Million or so to make the 'Marine Drive' fit for traffic once more would at least ,add another option (via Blackboards or Santon) for the motorist and make' Port Soderick more accessible , don't forget that there is a wacking great carpark sitting right above 'Port Soderick '{ empty at this present moment) where the motorists could leave their cars if they did not wish to drive all the way into Douglas !

 

The only time you will ever see Marine Drive repaired is when Port Soderick finally goes for apartments. Only then will the taxpayer be asked to stump up the cost for other peoples benefit.

 

Agreed

[Shit3hawk]

when Port Soderick finally goes for apartments. Only then will the taxpayer be asked to stump up the cost for other peoples benefit.

 

I have been informed that Port Soderick is now in the hands of the Islands most loved building developer and is currently being allowed to fall in to disrepair to aid in the hurried demolition of the current property,

 

 

source:- a prospective buyer of said property who lost out during the private auction

 

 

edited for stupidity

Edited July 6, 2008 by Shit3hawk

[bluemonday]

Well that'll raise the anticipation of a bountiful new crop of roundly stuffed brown envelopes in certain areas.

[Splodgness]

Am I the only one to think that £4,000,000 for a roundabout is a bit steep? Is it to be covered in gold leaf?

[oldmanxfella]

I have been informed that Port Soderick is now in the hands of the Islands most loved building developer and is currently being allowed to fall in to disrepair to aid in the hurried demolition of the current property

 

I had heard that.

 

Well that'll raise the anticipation of a bountiful new crop of roundly stuffed brown envelopes in certain areas.

 

If that is the case I wonder who the first person to suggest re opening Marine Drive will be?

Edited July 6, 2008 by oldmanxfella

[manshimajin]

I hope someone from the DOT is reading this. Seems absolute claptrap to me. Why not spend the money on something which will be a lasting enhancement to our sustainable lifestyle?

 

Someone asked above about why the carrot is rarely used infavour of the stick. Well, the simple reason is that the carrot costs money, whereas the stick usually generates money.

 

Gladys, what common sense - DOT read the comments here! But how do we get them to do this - and more importantly how to get the debate into the public forum where the DoT have to respond....?

 

The UK Department of Transport did some work in 1999 on the cost of accidents.

 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/ria/road/riaroad.pdf

 

Now if you use their figures one comes to the following conclusion - the average cost of a 'damage only' (ie slight) accident was £1,309. Assuming 5% p.a. inflation the cost by 2010 would be a bit under £1,400 per accident. So IF the magic roundabout saved 4 slight accidents a year it would save £5600 p.a.

 

The economic payback period would therefore be (assuming no future accidents) 715 years. To be fair to the DoT I have not built in inflation into that calculation!!!! so it may be as little as 500 years.

 

As far as I can tell from comments on the thread the £4 million investment would not atually have a major beneficial impact on commuting times into Douglas as it would shift most of the traffic jam from QB to somewhere else.

 

I think the DoT have a very strong economic case!!!! (irony for those who are too literal). Could the DoT PLEASE produce their economic argument in favour of this use of our Taxpayer funds and could MHKs PLEASE indicate whether they believe the economic case holds water and is a good use of the money entrusted to them by us to allocate wisely...

[Alias]

Now if you use their figures one comes to the following conclusion - the average cost of a 'damage only' (ie slight) accident was £1,309. Assuming 5% p.a. inflation the cost by 2010 would be a bit under £1,400 per accident. So IF the magic roundabout saved 4 slight accidents a year it would save £5600 p.a.

Investment banker ?

[monasqueen]

Investment banker ?

 

Now there's an idea....get McQuarie to pay for it, and let them put up toll booths all round. That'd help keep the traffic down, and stop the taxpayer having to foot the bill.

[manshimajin]

The economic payback period would therefore be (assuming no future accidents) 715 years. To be fair to the DoT I have not built in inflation into that calculation!!!! so it may be as little as 500 years.

 

As far as I can tell from comments on the thread the £4 million investment would not atually have a major beneficial impact on commuting times into Douglas as it would shift most of the traffic jam from QB to somewhere else.

Of course, as you realised, I made a deliberate mistake!

 

The cost of the 4 prangs are not picked up by the Government (meaning the population in general) but by motor insurers. Goodness knows what that does to the payback period. Also the DoTty Roundabout will reduce air pollution at the QB and relocate it into more populated areas in Douglas.

 

I attach what could possibly be a photographic likeness of the the Dot Director of Highways, Mr B W Hannay

 

 

If only Mr Hannay understood the theory of relativity - the relative merits of spending an unbelievable £4 million on an unnecessary roundabout versus doing something really useful for the citizens of the IOM with our money.

Edited July 6, 2008 by manshimajin

[Jimcalagon]

Total overkill from the DOT again. I was going to quote the aphorism "using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut" but in this case it's more like using a nuclear bomb to open a packet of crisps.

[jimbms]

I would have thought £4 million would go a long way towards making the "Marine drive" fit for traffic once more, and be a far more scenic route in to work .

It would also breathe more life into one of the most beautiful places on our island ?

 

OY! Sod off! I walk my dog along there!

Ah so you now admit to dogging on Marine Drive

[TerryMcCann]

I have just witnessed the most incompetent piece of DoT planning yet.

 

With the road from Signpost to the Nook closed forcing people into Onchan some genius has decided it is about time that road was covered in loose chippings.

 

Unbefuckingleiveable

[thesultanofsheight]

I have just witnessed the most incompetent piece of DoT planning yet.

 

With the road from Signpost to the Nook closed forcing people into Onchan some genius has decided it is about time that road was covered in loose chippings.

 

Unbefuckingleiveable

 

A genius indeed. That road now has a temporary 20mph limit virtually all the way down to Onchan precinct just ready for the increased traffic load that was being booted along it!

[WTF]

I have just witnessed the most incompetent piece of DoT planning yet.

 

With the road from Signpost to the Nook closed forcing people into Onchan some genius has decided it is about time that road was covered in loose chippings.

 

Unbefuckingleiveable

 

A genius indeed. That road now has a temporary 20mph limit virtually all the way down to Onchan precinct just ready for the increased traffic load that was being booted along it!

exactly, and the waterboard will be doing roadworks on avondale road with traffic lights outside the entrance to Lhonvane close so all and sundry will be bypassing the lights through birch hill!!.

[effervesce]

Total overkill from the DOT again. I was going to quote the aphorism "using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut" but in this case it's more like using a nuclear bomb to open a packet of crisps.

 

pml. The more I read these forums, the more i become convinced that we should have a comedy night at the villa for manxforums stalwarts instead of lee evans. BTW, if you have any spare tickets, for two seats together, i'll rip yer hand off.

 

Ta muchly