These huge steel containers are driving residents mad. They are a terrible safety hazard and have an awful impact on our neighbourhood amenity. They are particularly dangerous as they are opposite the entrance to the concrete plant with its heavy lorry traffic - pedestrians are basically forced off the pavement into the path of oncoming 30 tonne lorries. Or they have to walk through the enclosed passageway behind the containers that is perfectly designed for muggers - a sort of 'tunnel of mug'.
Residents were not consulted at all - we just came home from work one day and there the containers were. Cllr Convery is battling away to get them moved, working with my neighbours. But the Council officials seem to have painted themselves into a corner. United House who owns the containers has moved them once, after Council officials told them to put the containers in an even more stupid place at first. The Council then gave permission for the containers to be on Rufford Street and Randell's Road.
United House are doing some street work for the Council and will store tools etc in the containers. It's a fair bet that United House will now charge the Council cash for moving them again. And that won't be in the budget. Officials accept that they need to be moved but are coming up with everything but action - you can almost feel the squirming in the email correspondence.
The underlying issue that really annoys me is why they thought they could dump these eyesores in a challenged neighbourhood and not stick them in Barnsbury or somewhere. All pretty shoddy by the Council.
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