Old ‘Lights’ are to be Re-sited

The “Hear Hears” of Rushden Urban Councillors at their meeting on Wednesday which greeted the news that the County Council estimates are to include a scheme to move the town’s redundant set of traffic lights to the junction of Newton Road and Rectory Road next year, will undoubtedly be echoed throughout Rushden.

The chairman of the Highways and Planning Committee, Mr. D. Dickens, said that the Ministry of Transport had agreed to the lights being moved – at present they stand idle at the junction of High Street and Church Street – to this new site. The County Council had promised to include the matter in its estimates for next year.

Seconding a recommendation to inform the county surveyor that, in view of prevailing traffic conditions, the council did not feel a proposal to limit the upper part of Fitzwilliam Street to one-way traffic was satisfactory; Mr. R. H. Marriott said he had “no qualms about it all.”

He completely agreed with the recommendation, which suggested that an improvement scheme should be considered to provide an adequate line of vision on the right-hand side of Fitzwilliam Street at the junction with Wellingborough Road.

There was also a case for removing some of the “no waiting” signs on Wellingborough Road. “In this part of the town we must look into the parking facilities. The signs seemed only to be used at night for people who take their dogs out.

“The parking in Moor Road is terrible,” he claimed. “We must have the co-operation of the manufacturers; not only travellers are parking there,but employees coming to work in cars.”

It was particularly the people from out of town who were parking there, and he thought something should be done about it, but more confusion with one-way streets was not wanted.

Dumbfounded

Noting that the highways committee had deferred asking for tenders to re-surface Highfield Road, Mr. R. H. S. Greenwood said that many members of the committee and the council were dumbfounded by this.

“They will be pleased to know we have had consent for a loan, but are dumbfounded to hear that it did not go through. We have been hoping to remake the road for several years, and it was included in this year’s estimates,” he said.

The water board, gas and electricity boards were working on the road in the knowledge that it was going to be remade, and now in a car it was “worse” than going over the jumps at a point to point meeting.”

Best Time

Urging that plans for the road should be started immediately Mr. Greenwood conceded that it was very worthy trying to save the town money by keeping an eye on the Bank Rate and deferring the scheme, but the Bank Rate went up and down like a yo-yo and had done for the past ten years.

Mr. A. Allebone supporting the decision to defer the re-surfacing of the road stated that January was the best time to invite tenders; it would mean that work would start at the best time – in April.

After Highfield Road, the council directed its attention to Palm Road and when Mr. F. E. Brown accused the committee of high-handed action over a decision to recommend that the council should not review the resurfacing of the road until next July.

Eighteen residents had submitted a petition stating that they did not feel their views in favour of making-up the road had been fairly presented at a meeting earlier in the year. They asked the council to reconsider the matter.

Said Mr. Brown: “There has been an unnecessary delay in this matter, a large number of residents want the road repaired before next year.”

Council’s Cardinal Error

When Rushden Council decided to build old people’s homes in Spinney Close it made a cardinal error, Mr. C. J. Rockingham told the council.

He said that old people’s homes should not be isolated from the activities of the rest of the community as are those at Spinney Close.

He congratulated the Housing Committee on a visit paid to old people’s dwellings at Corby, and said it was a good thing to take note of other council’s best ideas in accommodation for old folk.

Tender

Mrs. G. E. Woodley was nominated for appointment as a member of the general committee of the Northamptonshire Playing Fields’ Association.

The council is to contribute one-half of the cost (£3 14s 5d) for a roller hired by Higham Ferrers Town Cricket Club from Rushden Urban Council for rolling the cricket field.

On recommendation of the Highways, Health and Lighting Committee, the council decided to accept the tender of Kimbell Construction, Ltd, of £1,082 for improvements to George Street.

The Ministry of Transport is to be asked to reconsider its decision that there is no need for a bollard at the junction of Wharf Road and the A6 trunk road.

Rents for twenty new garages at Elizabeth Way are to be 6s 4d a week, plus general rate at 1s 6d.

The council is to buy twelve chairs, each costing £4 17s 4d plus 5s 4d purchase tax, to be used in the council chamber for use by the public at meetings.