Q. Who is responsible for the drainage improvement works?
A.
KCC Highways, through the manager for the project, Mark Carpenter. The manager is on site every day and writes the weekly update. He supervises the specialist contractors that are employed to do the engineering.
Q. Why does Selling Road have to be closed for so long when it's causing massive inconvenience?
A. It is of great regret that we are all suffering this terrible inconvenience and traffic diversion. The work to improve the sustainable drainage of water is a significant engineering project. To complete it as soon as possible requires a variety of engineering machinery, including tracked and wheeled vehicles, some of them very heavy. To keep everone safe and allow the work to take place on a self-contained site, the road has to be completely closed.
Q. Where can I find out any news about what's happening?
A. The weekly special KCC Highways update on the Selling Parish Council website
http://www.sellingparishcouncil.gov.uk/News_26452.aspx and Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/Sellingparishcouncil/ explains in detail the work being done, along with photos. The website and Parish Council Facebook Page is where we post factual authoritative information. It is a public page, not private or restricted to members and you don't have to ask to join it. As a Facebook Page, rather than a Facebook Group, it is open to all. Absolutely every Facebook user or anyone else can share or comment on our posts in any way they like. We will often share our posts to private Facebook community Groups and these posts have to be approved of course by the Group Admin.
Q. Can I go onto the site to have a look round or speak to any of the contractors?
A. No. There is no unauthorised access to any part of the site. Apart from being an offence, it would be dangerous and put yourself and others at risk. All of the work, the actual site itself and the full road closure is covered by legislation under the Highways Act and health and safety laws.
Q. Why are KCC Highways doing this work now in the middle of Winter?
A. This work is taking place now so that there is minimal disturbance to wildlife and it avoids the recognised bird breeding season between the beginning of March and September.
Q. Is it true some hedgerow and trees adjacent to Monica Close have been cut down?
A. KCC Highways carefully inspected the site for signs of wildlife and potentially dangerous overhanging or obstructing vegetation prior to any work starting. One tree branch overhanging the site area unfortunately had to be cut down, as it would impede some of the larger equipment and machinery. No hedgerow has been strimmed or cut back and no other trees cut. KCC have a strict policy on sensitively managing the environment wherever they work. And so they should.
Q. What happens to the area adjacent to Monica Close once the work is finished?
A. KCC Highways will restore the site back to how it was before the drainage work. This means a re-seeding of the grass area, re-planting one of the two young trees recently put there, restoring the white gate and the 30 mph sign. At the appropriate time, the Parish Council would like to invite local residents to add wildflower seeds to the grass seed or other ideas for making this an even more bee and bug friendly environment. We will also be in conversation with the Soft Landscape Team at KCC to help protect the area and remind them we hold a cultivation licence for this strip of land.
Q. Why haven't the local landowners been asked about water run off from their land?
A. They will be. The Parish Council are talking with them very soon.
Q. What is being done about water leaks or other water that runs from the site and in this weather freezes further along Selling Road?
A. If anyone comes across a water leak, please report it! If the leak seems to be an emergency and is putting either members of the public or property at risk, call South East Water emergency contact number 0333 000 0365. For non-urgent leaks please report the leak you've spotted using the interactive map here:
https://inyourarea.digdat.co.uk/southeastwater. KCC Highways have delivered sandbags and large quantities of salt to the site, which will be deployed to help prevent water freezing.
Q. How were residents informed about this drainage work in Selling Road?
A. By law, KCC Highways had to give 12 weeks notice that they intended to carry out this work and if necessary close a road. This was published in the local press and on the relevant KCC website page. They also have to do a letter drop to households and properties likely to be affected in the immediate area of the work (no later than two weeks before the work starts). This was done around the 20 December last year when 120 households around Monica Close, Neames Forstal, Fox Lane and the station area were identified and had the double-sided letters delivered through their front letterbox. Due to horrendous torrential rain some of the letters got ruined when out for delivery and a very small number of houses did not get their letter. KCC have apologised for that. (The KCC Highways Project Manager heard claims that these letters had not been received and visited a large number of the 120 addresses last week to check most of the letters were delivered). The letter was also put on the Selling Parish Council website on 20 December, together with information about the drainage work. At every Parish Council meeting for the last three years the subject of Highways and road improvements has been a standing item on the agenda and discussed. This has included the long-standing problem of surface water flooding in Selling Road and under Fox Lane bridge, together with this current drainage work. The minutes of all meetings are published on our parish council website, in the printed Parish Magazine (for those that subscribe) and on the three large parish council noticeboards across Selling. It is fair to say we could have been more proactive in alerting local residents to the potential size and impact of the work on the environment and we have learned a valuable lesson in how we can better engage.
Q. Why is there no lighting for the pedestrian walkway along the outside of the drainage works site?
A. Although the full road closure in Selling Road legally applies to both vehicles and pedestrians, KCC Highways were able to use discretion in putting in place a safe walkway primarily for residents of Monica Close to be able to safely access the station area of the village. Any effective lighting would have to be powered by a generator, which would be running throughout long hours of darkness at this time of year. As we all live in a reasonably peaceful rural village, such intrusive and prolonged light and noise pollution are probably not welcome. And we are not being churlish to point out that there is no lighting for the usual footway in Selling Road adjacent to Monica Close.
Q. I want to know about the drainage work from someone who knows what they are talking about, like a qualified engineer or the person in charge of it all. Who can I talk to?
A. Please let the Parish Council know through the usual channels: email Wendy Gregory, the Clerk clerk@sellingparishcouncil.gov.uk or phone her on 07790 903442 or of course tell a parish councillor. We can put you in touch with the work's project engineering manager Mark Carpenter or you can always contact him yourself via KCC phone 03000 418181. We will always try to get back to our residents asap but if it takes slightly longer we are not ignoring you!
Q. I know there was an invitation for residents to meet with KCC Highways and Selling Parish Councillors last week, but I couldn't come. Will there be another chance?
A. Yes, absolutely. We will be arranging another opportunity to come and hear from the KCC Highways person in charge, and speak to parish councillors, in the next two weeks before the work is finished. As the weather is so cold and nobody wants to stand around for an hour in Selling Road, we hope to gather again in The Sondes, courtesy of Claire and her wonderful staff. We are sorry that the first meeting was on a Friday morning when lots of people were working. We can only ask whether KCC Highways are able to make an evening or a Saturday morning perhaps, but are aware they are a small operational team covering one of the largest counties in England and their availability is not guaranteed.
Q. Please could you remind me when the work is expected to finish and Selling Road re-opened?
A. Work is expected to last for up to 5 weeks from the start date of 3 January. So that's 7 February. The site working hours will be during normal daytime hours and work may extend into the weekends. Every effort will be made to complete the works quicker should weather conditions allow.