Cold Ashby Blog/Open Forum
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Broadband Bedlam
by Ashby Rambler - 10:56 on 22 February 2016
The scene at the junction of Church Lane and Main Street
When, as part of its informative survey in 2015, Cold Ashby's Parish Council analysed the answers given by parishioners to the question 'Would you pay more for a faster broadband service?' it was revealed that 31% of respondents would be prepared to pay but 69% would not.
Of course, we all assumed that 'pay' in this context meant 'contribute financially' – which, then, it clearly did.
With the arrival of Gigaclear, hot on the heels of the inconvenience and damage to our village resulting from the improvements to our highway drainage system, the Rambler suggests that we are now all 'paying' in another sense.
Even before reparation has been properly completed by Highways, Gigaclear's contractors are digging trenches in our footways, verges and roads. The traffic lights and single file traffic system in Main Street is clearly inadequate for the volume of traffic we experience at peak times (25,000 per week at the last count and apparently more since the recent so-called 'improvements at Catthorpe) and the regular incursion of HGV's is both scandalous and dangerous.
This morning, residents were involved in D.I.Y. traffic control – not a sensible or safe solution – when two double decker school buses got stuck in the middle of the single file system and drivers had to be cajoled to reverse in the restricted space to release the log-jam which resulted. The situation in Main Street will almost certainly deteriorate as more of the road is involved.
The Rambler has no figures on the actual number of Cold Ashby's residents who have contracts with Gigaclear and fully supports those who need to increase their Broadband speeds.
His question is simply this:-
Is it right or fair for the whole village to suffer in this way when many people have not opted for Gigaclear's services ?
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