Update on the Drayton Road closure

Following many questions from residents, the TFLRA committee asked the County Council about why people were asked to travel via Milton home.  Their reply:

Generally when we undertake road closures we ensure that traffic is diverted on the same class of road or better than the road that we are closing.  As Drayton Road is a 'B' class road, the decision was made to send the diversion route via the A34.  Making the 'iron bridge' two-way was never really considered on this basis but also because of the disruption that this would have caused to residents of Caldecott Road, St Helen's Wharf and West St Helen Street due to the increased traffic flows.

I appreciate that the closures will cause some disruption to local residents, but the decision was made to carry out this work at night in order to keep this disruption to a minimum.

Closure of Drayton Road for road repair

Signs have recently appeared along the Drayton Road indicating the road will be closed.  The Residents Association have contacted Oxfordshire County Council for more details, and their answers are shown below:

• These signs have been erected to inform motorists and road users of the upcoming road closure. Adjacent footways will remain open for pedestrians - cyclists will be required to dismount and use the footway.  The works will be carried out in the following phases:

• Phase 1 - Monday 27th July to Friday 31st July - off-peak temporary two-way traffic signals will be in operation from 9.30am to 3.30pm to enable advance kerbing works to be undertaken.

• Phase 2 - Friday 31st July to Friday 7th August - 6 night-time road closures will be in operation to enable the road resurfacing to be completed.  The B4017 Drayton Road will be closed from 8pm to 6am during this phase at the junctions with the A415 Marcham Road/Ock Street and Mill Road.  No works will be undertaken at weekends.

• The iron bridge / St Helens Wharf at the bottom of Caldecott Road will be unaffected.  There will be no reverse flow or 2 way flow here.

• Emergency services will be allowed un-obstructed access as necessary along the Drayton Road during closure - this will be controlled by the OCC gatemen.

• Alternative routes to and from the South of Abingdon will be via the B4017 Southbound (towards Steventon) / A4130 Eastbound / Milton Interchange / A34 Northbound / A415 Marcham Road (towards Abingdon) and vice versa.

Click on map to enlarge

Gardening - The Garden in Summer - 2015

Summer is not as busy as some people think, with garden tasks more maintenance than anything else. 

As always, keep weeds under control, lawns trimmed (little and often is best) and pots and food crops watered.  Non-container plants in the garden rarely need watering unless they are new. Established shrubs can be left. When watering new plants, water in the evening so it won't evaporate so quickly, and water the roots/ground rather than the leaves.

Continue to feed containers, as well as food crops, and continue sowing the latter.  It is also worth sowing a few more annuals now to provide fillers for gaps that might appear later in the year.

As perennials flower and fade, cut them back hard and you should get a second flush of growth. Herbs can also be trimmed to keep them tidy, and the trimmings can be dried or frozen for future use.

NEXT MEETING

The next TFLRA meeting in Tuesday 14th July at 8pm in the Common Room, Stonewater flats, Bridges Close, (formerely known at Jephson).

All welcome!!

Street Name Plates

The street name plate for Byron Close, which has been missing for a long time, should appear again shortly, together with a matching replacement for the sign on the other side of the turning.  The Vale of the White Horse District Council is responsible for maintaining these signs.  Missing or damaged street name plates can be reported to them on 01235-520202 or by going to their website www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk

Councillors News - New Contacts Details for our Local Councillors

We said we would give residents contact details for our new local Councillors.

Town Councillors are:

Jeanette Halliday - phone 01235-522642 email jeanette.halliday@abingdon.gov.uk

David Pope - phone 07774242436 email david.pope@abingdon.gov.uk

District Councillors are:

Monica Lovatt - phone 01235-530538 email monicalovatt@whitehorsedc.gov.uk

Chris Palmer - phone 07801062624 email chris.palmer@whitehorsedc.gov.uk

Introducing our District Councillors:

Monica Lovatt - I met my husband in Abingdon in 1970.  We spent 15 years as an Army family with our three children leaving in 1988 to settle in Abingdon.  I worked as a Theatre Nurse in Oxford and have served on the Vale Council for eight years and the Town Council for 12 years.  I was Mayor of Abingdon in 2012/13.  My main interests on the Vale are health, housing and planning and on the Town Council as Chairman of the Museum Management Committee and a member of the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

I have been a Governor of Fitzharrys and Carswell Schools and was involved with the Abbeyfield Society for 16 years as a volunteer on the Executive Committee at Oxenford House in Cumnor rising to a place on the national board. I am a volunteer Divisional Secretary with SSAFA-FH, a military charity.

I enjoy reading, travel and history.

Chris Palmer - I am a chemist by training and work on Milton Park for a CRO involved in medicinal chemistry research.  I have lived in Abingdon since January 2003.  In my spare time I enjoy photography and walking and am a member of the National Trust.  I am also a member of and deacon at Abingdon Baptist Church and for several years have coordinated our part in the nationwide shoebox appeal working with local schools and voluntary organizations.  In November 2011 I was appointed a Governor at John Mason School, where I serve on the Finance and Audit committees.  In May this year I was elected to the District Council to represent the Abingdon Fitzharris Ward which includes the area represented by TFLRA.  Already Monica and I have secured a vote on flood prevention on council.

Plant Swap reminder

A reminder that there will be a Plant Swap on Saturday 16th May 3pm - 5pm on the driveway of 39 Masefield Crescent.  Bring your extra plants, surplus seedlings and spare cuttings and 'swap'.  But do come along and have a look even if you haven't got any spares!

Annual Accounts

The TFLRA annual accounts have been done, and should anyone wish to see them, please contact the Treasure - email at tfl_ra@zoho.com or phone 07732251334 to leave a message.

Meeting

The next meeting will be held in Stonewater flats common room, Bridges Close (used to be called Jephson flats), on Tuesday 12th May at 8pm.  All residents welcome - we'd love to see you there!!!

Up, Up and Away in my Beautiful Balloon!!!

behind our gardens

Easter Sunday brought us the Easter Bunny, eggs and a ...... hot air balloon!!!  The balloon landed in Masefield Crescent playing field bringing lots of residents out to view this spectacular sight.




The balloon deflated and you could hear it swishing and folding down on itself and a while later was packed and carried off by its team.

If you missed it, here's some photo's I managed to capture.

going down