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Eden is tops, but town is tatty
7:23am Sunday 1st June 2008
A FORMER Wycombe district councillor has criticised the state of footpaths and roadways around his home in Bowerdean.
Rafiq Raja, who has lived in Perth Road for more than 30 years, says his daily walk to and from High Wycombe train station has become treacherous because footpaths and roadways are poorly maintained.
He says the residential area around Perth Road, Adelaide Road, and Bowerdean Road, is a patchwork of repairs, potholes, loose stones and bumps caused by tree roots.
Mr Raja, a tax accountant, said: "In some places, the mortar holding the gravel together has been washed out over the years and now the little pebbles stick out and are uncomfortable to walk on in normal shoes.
"Where people have parked vehicles on the footpath, there is a lot of unsightly wear and tear. It looks as if the whole area has been operated on and the scars are still visible.
"I believe that it would be a real challenge for anyone to move around on our footpaths in a pushchair or a wheelchair.
"I genuinely cannot recall the last time our local roads or footpaths were resurfaced and it is about time the county paid attention to Bowerdean.
"The Eden shopping centre is likely to move High Wycombe into the top 30 or so shopping destinations in the country and yet the rest of the town looks tatty and unkempt in many areas."
The county council is beginning its We're Working On It' project on roadways next week.
Eric Meek, group manager for area maintenance, said Bowerdean was part of that plan, but he couldn't name which roads will be resurfaced.
He admitted: "The estate is getting towards the end of its original life now so we're starting to look around that area now. We would expect to get 20 to 25 years out of a footway. Unless there has been an exceptional amount of utilities work carried out, we shouldn't have to revisit it.
He added: "Because we've only got the budget, we've got to prioritise."
Mr Meek said the destruction of verges was a national problem for councils, caused by increased car ownership.
Living Streets, an organisation campaigning for better open spaces, has been employed by BCC and Wycombe District Council to look at improving High Wycombe.
Your Say YourBucks
paulc, Amersham says...
9:55am Sun 1 Jun 08
*waits for it*
Haha!
R of Wycombe, High Wycombe says...
10:52am Sun 1 Jun 08
*waits for it*Come on, i've got my comfy chair and the popcorn waiting
Haha!
slacker, Flackwell says...
11:14am Sun 1 Jun 08
Anyway, while they are at it, the pedestrianised area of the High Street needs looking at urgently. There are some bricks missing and this is a serious trip hazard.
Observer, County says...
2:06pm Sun 1 Jun 08
This confusion would be reduced if there was a Unitary Authority in place i Bucks but the Tories will not allow it.
Ivor, says...
2:56pm Sun 1 Jun 08
The Eden shopping centre is likely to move High Wycombe into the top 30A while ago it was the top 50! Which is it top 30 or top 50?
It says a lot that a former Wycombe district councillor is springing to the defence of the complex considering it was the Council that instigated it!
Living Streets, an organisation campaigning for better open spaces, has been employed by BCC and Wycombe District Council to look at improving High Wycombe.Why employ an external organisation to look at improving Wycombe? Dont the powers that be have the capacity to do it themselves? They only have to listen to the people! Could this be more tax payers money being wasted on consultants?
Ill give them some free advice. If they want to improve Wycombe get rid of the complex. Its turning our town into a laughing stock.... Or at least give the shoppers free umbrellas so the water that comes through the roof when it rains does not make them wet!
Have you read Ivors blog today? Click on the Opinion link on the menu on the left then click on Readers Bucks Blog.
smokey, high wycombe says...
4:46pm Sun 1 Jun 08
Ivor wrote:yess!!!!!!!!
The Eden shopping centre is likely to move High Wycombe into the top 30A while ago it was the top 50! Which is it top 30 or top 50? It says a lot that a former Wycombe district councillor is springing to the defence of the complex considering it was the Council that instigated it!Living Streets, an organisation campaigning for better open spaces, has been employed by BCC and Wycombe District Council to look at improving High Wycombe.Why employ an external organisation to look at improving Wycombe? Dont the powers that be have the capacity to do it themselves? They only have to listen to the people! Could this be more tax payers money being wasted on consultants? Ill give them some free advice. If they want to improve Wycombe get rid of the complex. Its turning our town into a laughing stock.... Or at least give the shoppers free umbrellas so the water that comes through the roof when it rains does not make them wet! Have you read Ivors blog today? Click on the Opinion link on the menu on the left then click on Readers Bucks Blog.
I knew mr AR wouldn't be able to resist a pop
no one is going to take notice of a narrow minded idiot like you.
Who is laughing? Has Eden been on the TV and national newspapers as something funny?
No of course not.
R of Wycombe, High Wycombe says...
7:39pm Sun 1 Jun 08
Ill give them some free advice. If they want to improve Wycombe get rid of the complex. Its turning our town into a laughing stock.... Or at least give the shoppers free umbrellas so the water that comes through the roof when it rains does not make them wet!wayhay......
finished the popcorn, now on the beer
Ivor, says...
7:46pm Sun 1 Jun 08
R of Wycombe, High Wycombe on 7:39pm:Perhaps you could flatten your beer tins out into a big sheet of metal and offer them to the complex to cover the gaps where the complex roof lets the rain in!
finished the popcorn, now on the beer
Have you read Ivors blog today? Click on the Opinion link on the menu on the left then click on Readers Bucks Blog.
R of Wycombe, High Wycombe says...
9:03pm Sun 1 Jun 08
R of Wycombe, High Wycombe on 7:39pm:Cast the line out and just reel him in.......
finished the popcorn, now on the beer
Perhaps you could flatten your beer tins out into a big sheet of metal and offer them to the complex to cover the gaps where the complex roof lets the rain in!
smokey, high wycombe says...
8:18am Mon 2 Jun 08
How many times do I have to tell you?
Due to your complete inability to see anyone's view but your own and your boring ramblings about Eden, your opinion is less valid than anybody elses and you are actually a laughing stock - not Eden.
SO bring it on.
I am unashamedly going to troll you. I have a public that demands it!!!
Elmo, High Wycombe says...
9:21am Mon 2 Jun 08
Arrggghhhh!
THE TOP 30 IS WITHIN THE TOP 50, YOU BLITHERIN IDIOT!
Number 29 is in the top 50, yes? Is it in the top 30 too?
i feel dirty
littlemiss, Wycombe says...
10:11am Mon 2 Jun 08
Joe English, High Wycombe says...
10:43am Mon 2 Jun 08
David St, High Wycombe says...
12:57pm Mon 2 Jun 08
Elmo, High Wycombe says...
2:40pm Mon 2 Jun 08
Joe English, High Wycombe says...
3:10pm Mon 2 Jun 08
smokey, high wycombe says...
4:33pm Mon 2 Jun 08
David St wrote:how very dare you!!!!
Joe - that's cause they are one and the same person, or at the very least working for the BFP together.
I cna assure you that I do ot work for the BFP and Elmo and I are in fact seperate people with one thing in common. Ivor is the itch that we can't stop scratching. I am seriously thinking of going to hypnosis classes - but on the other hand it is sooooo much fun.
Lo_Wycombe, Bowerdean Rd says...
4:52pm Mon 2 Jun 08
Having been dragged around the town centre on saturday morning I felt like I was walking through a war torn eastern european town - boarded up shops, chewing gum marks, chicken bones and cigarette butts littered the streets.
and why do so many people hang around outside the 99p shop?
Plus ça change..., Wykerbs says...
5:16pm Mon 2 Jun 08
Pavements should be restored better after works. Little regard seems to be given to whether the surface is both physically & visually uniform.
Must make it very difficult for some people.
Grass verges were a feature of an altogether different Britain where the very few cars that there were were very often neatly parked on drives or in garages and where cars & service providers just didn't park wherever they liked off the road itself.
It is about time we just accepted that things are different and designed roadsides differently .
Perhaps someone should go and see how it is done in other countries...
Wycombe/Bucks should innovate beyond just putting yellow lines everywhere.
R of Wycombe, High Wycombe says...
6:15pm Mon 2 Jun 08
Smokey, Elmo etc many thanks for bringing a smile to mine & I suspect other faces this Monday morning. You start reading the comments & as you page down you know exactly what is comming & sure enough there it is - Ivor right on cue!
Joe, we are all different people, none of which work for the BFP. However, we do have one thing in common. We are all dedicated Ivor baiters. It's so easy, and such good fun
smokey, high wycombe says...
6:18pm Mon 2 Jun 08
R of Wycombe wrote:we should totally form a "lets bait Ivor" Society. We could have secret handshakes and everything. The password could be "lawnmower" and we could wear a uniform of flat caps and double breasted suits.
Smokey, Elmo etc many thanks for bringing a smile to mine & I suspect other faces this Monday morning. You start reading the comments & as you page down you know exactly what is comming & sure enough there it is - Ivor right on cue!Joe, we are all different people, none of which work for the BFP. However, we do have one thing in common. We are all dedicated Ivor baiters. It's so easy, and such good fun
It would be fab!!!
Ron Schreck, says...
10:08pm Mon 2 Jun 08
Elmo, High Wycombe says...
8:31am Tue 3 Jun 08
Oo, someones tired!
paulc, Amersham says...
9:30am Tue 3 Jun 08
we could wear a uniform of flat caps and double breasted suits.
But where would we buy such every day items?!
Certainly not the complex, where I hear you will get rained on!
paulc, Amersham says...
9:31am Tue 3 Jun 08
we could wear a uniform of flat caps and double breasted suits.
But where would we buy such every day items?!
Certainly not the complex, where I hear you will get rained on!
paulc, Amersham says...
9:32am Tue 3 Jun 08
we could wear a uniform of flat caps and double breasted suits.
But where would we buy such every day items?!
Certainly not the complex, where I hear you will get rained on!
paulc, Amersham says...
9:32am Tue 3 Jun 08
Carlton De Souza, Bowerdean area says...
7:43am Fri 6 Jun 08
Lo_Wycombe wrote:well said. your Grandad was spot on.
as my late grandad taught me, "you can't polish sh*t" Having been dragged around the town centre on saturday morning I felt like I was walking through a war torn eastern european town - boarded up shops, chewing gum marks, chicken bones and cigarette butts littered the streets. and why do so many people hang around outside the 99p shop?
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smokey, high wycombe says...
9:01am Sun 1 Jun 08