Congestion Charging

[darude]

I heard on the radio that shortly all major routes my have congestion charges applied. One of which will be the M60 around manchester. What I don't get, is if congestion is so bad then why arn't the roadworks that are taking place on these routes 24hour. I pass some junction improvement work on the M62 at junction 21, adding upto 20mins on my journey to and from work, I have yet to see anyone working on these roadworks (apart from about a month ago when there was loads of activity, which turned out to be putting speed camera's up).

Surely there is something wrong with this system. The roadworks are to take nearly 18 months to complete, I'm guessing that not more 8 hours / 5 days a week are being utilised, do it 24 hours 5 days a week it will only take less than 2 months.

 

[andy]

I heard on the radio that shortly all major routes my have congestion charges applied. One of which will be the M60 around manchester. What I don't get, is if congestion is so bad then why arn't the roadworks that are taking place on these routes 24hour. I pass some junction improvement work on the M62 at junction 21, adding upto 20mins on my journey to and from work, I have yet to see anyone working on these roadworks (apart from about a month ago when there was loads of activity, which turned out to be putting speed camera's up).

Surely there is something wrong with this system. The roadworks are to take nearly 18 months to complete, I'm guessing that not more 8 hours / 5 days a week are being utilised, do it 24 hours 5 days a week it will only take less than 2 months.

see thread in general chat.

 

[AdamW]

I hope you aren't expecting road labourers to work unsociable hours! I'm sure it is the management. Contract conditions probably mean road labourers get great pay for working the night shift, this is probably why they aren't given that shift!

You see this everywhere. If they had 24 hour roadworks they would get it done in 1/3 the time, maybe even less (no packing up/starting up time). But no.

IIRC members of the road workers union have an average life expectancy well below 65... Perhaps unsociable hours shifts would give them pay to ensure a standard of living/pension fund that would mean they might get to actually enjoy their retirement. Sickening really.