Promenade - Megathread

[Numbnuts]

4 years ago now..agenda was set for whats forthcoming now ! 

A multi-million pound makeover of Douglas promenade will be completed "on time and within budget", the Isle of Man's government has pledged.

The £25m redevelopment scheme is set to begin in September and take up to three years to complete.

It will involve rebuilding the highway, replacing the horse tram tracks, and redesigning all junctions.

Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer said contractors will be pushed to complete "on time and within budget".

He added: "We have been given a figure which we must stick to or come under. The timing of the scheme is also critical for us - we want to complete this as soon as possible."

on another statement he had also said any overspend would have to come out of the departments (DOI ) budget. Make of it what you will. Its def cost more than 25 million . 

[Kopek]

..........and you got Smith instead!!!

[offshoremanxman]

47 minutes ago, Numbnuts said:

4 years ago now..agenda was set for whats forthcoming now ! 

A multi-million pound makeover of Douglas promenade will be completed "on time and within budget", the Isle of Man's government has pledged.

The £25m redevelopment scheme is set to begin in September and take up to three years to complete.

It will involve rebuilding the highway, replacing the horse tram tracks, and redesigning all junctions.

This is the usual look of Loch Prom caused this afternoon by just one person trying to reverse park in a space outside Loch Parade Church. Embarrassing. All because with the useless and totally pointless red stripe down the middle of the road nobody wants to cross it to go past an obstruction. It’s pitiful. 

[Kopek]

If you're one of the people who thought the Prom desperately needed revamping, then you are part of the problem and the rest of us are allowed to let your tyres down and have your car towed to the DoI carpark to block the staff in!!!!

[Happier diner]

2 hours ago, Gladys said:

Surely, if they had their own maintenance teams, each and every little job isn't signed off at Ministerial level?  So, there would be, for example, a pothole team that has a budget for the year, a bus stop painting team, the same and a rolling programme of line marking, each with a budget for the year.  Of course, if there something exceptional then that would need a paper and sign off.

Of course expenditure would need to be approved, but if it is within budget, that is surely just a simple validation of "Got the paint and sandpaper,   it goes under this head of budgetted expenditure, here is the bill, please pay".

Well kind of. But don't forget maintenance teams are very expensive by their definition and such teams use things like tarmac that is also extremely expensive. Yes you can hide such costs in their isolation,  but not en masse

[The Phantom]

2 hours ago, Roxanne said:

He's SO much better when he's being a grown up and not an overgrown toddler.

He was called Alex Binlid at school! Never stopped spouting crap albeit in an entertaining way.

[Gladys]

21 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

Well kind of. But don't forget maintenance teams are very expensive by their definition and such teams use things like tarmac that is also extremely expensive. Yes you can hide such costs in their isolation,  but not en masse

Not talking about hiding costs but making sure simple maintenance is carried out routinely and without a whole proposal, review and approval process.  Lack of maintenance catches up with an even bigger bill. 

[Happier diner]

17 hours ago, Gladys said:

If they had their own maintenance teams  then it wouldn't need a paper for the expenditure to be signed off, it would be within the annual budget.  Same with potholes, line markings, Marine Drive etc. etc. 

They do have their own maintenance teams for all these tasks

16 hours ago, Gladys said:

Surely, if they had their own maintenance teams, each and every little job isn't signed off at Ministerial level?  So, there would be, for example, a pothole team that has a budget for the year, a bus stop painting team, the same and a rolling programme of line marking, each with a budget for the year.  Of course, if there something exceptional then that would need a paper and sign off.

Of course expenditure would need to be approved, but if it is within budget, that is surely just a simple validation of "Got the paint and sandpaper,   it goes under this head of budgetted expenditure, here is the bill, please pay".

It already does I would think

12 hours ago, Gladys said:

Not talking about hiding costs but making sure simple maintenance is carried out routinely and without a whole proposal, review and approval process.  Lack of maintenance catches up with an even bigger bill. 

Yes. I agree with that but still not sure the point you are making. I know you like to get likes for saying sensible things (and you do normally say sensible things) but on this occasion I am not sure what you are saying

Are you suggesting the DOI should employ even more staff?

 

[NoTail]

I see the super new bits of the promenade are starting to look scruffy and falling apart. Weeds growing out of newly laid slabs indicates to me a rather poor job in the first place.

[Kopek]

Weed growing on the Prom!!! Does Quilp know?

Hope the old guy doesn't trip on those raised pyramids getting it !!!

[The Phantom]

19 minutes ago, NoTail said:

I see the super new bits of the promenade are starting to look scruffy and falling apart. Weeds growing out of newly laid slabs indicates to me a rather poor job in the first place.

Nah not a poor job particularly.  I've got brick paving on my drive, I jet the joints every year and have relaid a couple of sections in the last two years with minimal gaps and new (alleged weed free) sand.  You get weeds no matter what. 

The problem here is poor (or a complete lack of) maintenance.

[emesde]

21 minutes ago, NoTail said:

I see the super new bits of the promenade are starting to look scruffy and falling apart. Weeds growing out of newly laid slabs indicates to me a rather poor job in the first place.

I think it's called "deterrent paving" 

Shame they forgot to notify the weeds🙄

[ellanvannin2010]

32 minutes ago, NoTail said:

I see the super new bits of the promenade are starting to look scruffy and falling apart. Weeds growing out of newly laid slabs indicates to me a rather poor job in the first place.

The new bollards fitted just out of your picture have been bolted onto that pyramid paving so they have a handy gap underneath to fill with litter, vomit, seaweed, sand etc.

You almost could think they did not have a plan.

[Gladys]

3 hours ago, Happier diner said:

They do have their own maintenance teams for all these tasks

It already does I would think

Yes. I agree with that but still not sure the point you are making. I know you like to get likes for saying sensible things (and you do normally say sensible things) but on this occasion I am not sure what you are saying

Are you suggesting the DOI should employ even more staff?

 

I am suggesting that they should be doing routine maintenance.  If they have the teams, get them out maintaining and if they need more maintenance staff, employ them.  It just seems bizarre that simple, non-technical maintenance seems off the agenda and subject to such bureaucracy. Penny wise, pound foolish. 

How do you know I like to get likes, are you implying that is my sole motive?  Very strange comment.  I like to engage in discussion, sometimes I may be off beam or disagree with other posters who I would otherwise consider reasoned, informed and thoughtful. It is a discussion board after all and like others, my view may be changed, I am not fixed and am open to debate, but not condescending dismissal.

 

 

[Non-Believer]

32 minutes ago, Gladys said:

I am suggesting that they should be doing routine maintenance.  If they have the teams, get them out maintaining and if they need more maintenance staff, employ them.  It just seems bizarre that simple, non-technical maintenance seems off the agenda and subject to such bureaucracy. Penny wise, pound foolish.

Part of the problem is that the PS has evolved to work on a completely reactionary basis these days, they attend to matters only after the event or perhaps when somebody has raised the issue. This applies at both Central and Local levels, it's easier to do nothing until you absolutely have to or somebody reports it. Proactivity is not us.

As with anything though, let things slip and it invariably takes a lot longer and a lot more expense to bring it back rather than if it were kept on top of. "A stitch in time saves nine".