On 07/01/2012 14:46, Phil W Lee wrote:
Bertie considered Sat, 07 Jan 2012
13:01:25 +0000 the perfect time to write:

On Fri, 6 Jan 2012 23:24:09 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

This has been going on for years now, various luxury-flat developers
and others have been blocking the path in the vicinity of the London
Dome and it seems to be getting worse with yet another blockage
actually by the Dome itself.

Is the path owned by various landowners or does it belong to the
general public? What is the point in having a National path that is
frequently blocked? If they did the same to the same extent to
motorists on roads there would be an uproar.

On the Sustrans website the route around the dome is shown as a dotted
alternative with no explanation but the TfL maps (2004) show it as a
solid line.

Greenwich Cyclists discussed this issue (yet again) at their meeting
on Monday. NCN 1 has been completely closed off, with no signed
diversion, overnight Monday to Friday, since April 2011.

I asked a public question about this at the Full Council Meeting on 4
December. The council responded that a diversion would cost £11,000
per week to run, and the cost was prohibitive.

I fully intend to submit a second public question on the matter for
the meeting on 25 January 2012.

Oh - and here's some more information about the closures of the
Greenwich and Woolwich Foot Tunnels. In September a public question
was asked about the reason for the continued closure of the Woolwich
Foot Tunnel. The councils reply was that works have been delayed by
"hidden structures". A blogger then submitted a freedom of information
request about the "hidden structures", and they turn out to be the
underside of the stairs.

In my second question to the council on 25 January I intend to ask a
question along these lines:

===========Question===========
During World War II the Greenwich Foot Tunnel was stuck by a bomb and
was closed until repairs could be made. In the run up to the Olympics
the Woolwich Foot Tunnel was closed for "health and safety reasons"
which was later revealed to be due to "hidden structures", which a
freedom of information request revealed to be the bits of stair that
cannot be seen. How long was the Greenwich Foot Tunnel closed to
repair bomb damage, and how long was the Woolwich Foot Tunnel closed
to repair the "hidden structures"? Does the council feel that it has
been open and honest with users of this public highway about the
reasons for its extensive closure?
===========/Question===========

Is it not past time that the case was taken to the magistrates court
as the public highway is clearly "out of repair"?
(Crown court is only necessary if they dispute their liability to
maintain it, which would be difficult if they are already conducting
works on it!)
The magistrates, when finding that it is indeed out of repair, must
then make an order forcing the council to put it back into repair in a
reasonable time.

But the magistrate wouldn't be a stupid **** like you. He would apply
some common sense.

Cyclists are a tiny minority of road users & pay **** all to use them.
Nobody gives a **** about them.

--
Dave - Cyclists VOR. "Many people barely recognise the bicycle as a
legitimate mode of transport; it is either a toy for children or a
vehicle fit only for the poor and/or strange," Dave Horton - Lancaster
University