We understand that as members of the public, you probably
have a lot of burning questions regarding the roads around Buckinghamshire.
Well, we’re giving you the opportunity to get your questions answered by
Transport for Buckinghamshire’s Contract Director!
In each blog post in this exciting new series, we will be focusing on a different frequently asked question. This week, we’re answering:
Why are there roadworks and/or temporary signals in place
but no one working on site?
We often hear about your frustrations across Facebook and
Twitter, and one that crops up more often than others is when you find yourself
held at temporary signals or when you drive past a site where work should be
happening, but you can’t see anyone working there. It can be annoying, particularly if this site has meant
you’ve been delayed or had to use a diversion route. However there are a few
reasons why you might not see anyone on site.
There are many organisations working on the network and
if the work is not being carried out by us, we will investigate it.
Waiting
for materials
Sometimes operatives are waiting for materials to be delivered,
which is why you might see them sitting in their van or standing around the
site. It may look like they’re ‘not working’, but the reality is they just
can’t yet!
The
work is being completed by different teams and contractors
Many works are completed in different phases, with each
phase being carried out by a different team or specialist contractor.
Sometimes, a site may be left unoccupied after one section of work is complete
and the relevant team leaves and the next team haven’t arrived.
Testing
of water mains
If new pipes have been installed on a site, the water
mains needs to be tested. This means you might not see any physical work going
on at the site, but it doesn’t mean work isn’t happening.
There
is an excavation
If there is an open excavation on the site, equipment
needs to be left up even if nobody is working there that day, to keep the
public safe.
There’s
been a gas leak
If there has been a gas leak, venting needs to take place
to disperse the build-up of gas deposits, which means you won’t see anyone
actively working on the site.
Noise
implications
Sometimes work can’t be done during certain hours
(usually at night) because of the environmental noise implications. Similarly, sometimes works are planned for set
times of the day, which means you won’t always see work going on.
The site won’t be packed up out of hours, which means
sometimes you’ll drive past an empty site.
Weather
conditions
A lot of our work is weather dependent and if we are
working there one day, the weather may prevent us from working there the next.
The site wouldn’t be taken down, it would just be left there until the weather had
improved, and so you may see an empty site with traffic signals.
Waiting
time is needed!
Tarmac or concrete reinstatement takes time to cure, and
no work can be carried out on site whilst this is happening.
A
lunch break!
Yes, even TfB operatives get lunch breaks! If you see
them sat around eating, it isn’t because they’re choosing not to work – they
could simply be on a lunch break!
There is more to a work site and/or temporary signals
than you might think – a lot of work goes on behind the scenes that you don’t
necessarily see. Next time you see an empty site and feel angry that no one is
working but your route has been interrupted, remind yourself of the reasons
above. Sites aren’t left empty unnecessarily – there is always a reason.
