Jan 2015 Flood Fair report

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Flood Mitigation
A flood and bad weather fair was put on by the Town Council at both Long Furlong  and Preston Road Community Centre.
Flood Mitigation
There was an array of ingenious gadgets designed to protect homes and possessions from floods.

There was the chance to pick up leaflets about what to do in the event of a flood, or other types of bad weather.
Flood Mitigation
The Environment Agency were also there to explain more about the three flood mitigation schemes being looked at for Abingdon.

Central government is now putting more money in to flood prevention, but expects more money from local partners in return.

Feasibility studies have already been done on the two simpler Abingdon schemes: to reduce flooding from the River Stert, and the River Ock at St Helens Mill. They could get the go ahead for design in Spring 2015.

During 2015 data would also be gathered to model the River Thames (Sandford to south of Mapledurham) and the River Ock Storage Area.

A River Ock flood storage area is the long term flood prevention proposed for Abingdon. It would hold back water outside Abingdon and release it more slowly.

Modelling would first show whether a flood storage area on the River Ock is viable. If viable then a feasibility study could begin in 2016.

The River Ock scheme will be looked at separately from the Oxford scheme, and for either scheme to go ahead they must demonstrate they will not make flooding worse downstream.

Petrol Prices at the Pump about the same in 2015 as in 2009

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Abingdon Loyalty Card
Petrol prices at the pump in Abingdon are 113.9p per litre at BP in the Vineyard, 112.9p at Esso, and 111.9p at Tesco – the last time I looked.

Prices are much the same when I drive up the A34, but heading through Bicester I see 107.9p and 106.9p per litre advertised. Bicester looks the nearest place to Poundland for petrol that I have seen …

In the news over the last 24 hours … “The price of Brent crude oil has fallen below $50 a barrel for the first time since May 2009.” and “The eurozone fell into deflation for the first time in more than five years” on the back of falling oil prices.

Petrol Prices at the Pump look about the same in 2015 as they did in 2009 – but they looked expensive then.

End of Choose Abingdon Loyalty Card

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Abingdon Loyalty Card
Anybody who has tried adding points to their Choose Abingdon Loyalty Card in 2015 will have found they can’t.

The initial scheme has run its course, and a replacement scheme using mobile phones is being investigated. You can still redeem points but not add new ones to the card.

In the mean time the loyalty card is more than a nice souvenir; it will still allow discounted entry on event tickets.

National Route 5 – 15 years on

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Sustrans say “National Route 5 of the National Cycle Network is a long distance route which connects Reading and Holyhead via Oxford, Banbury, Stratford-upon-Avon…” But by all accounts, National Route 5 through Abingdon does not get the repairs or priority that the prestigious name National Route should merit.

It was opened back in the June 2000 when Mr John Disley, Oxfordshire County Council’s transport planner said “The network will dramatically improve cycling facilities and will contribute greatly to the county council’s objective for increasing cycle use.”
National Route 5
The sign in the Abbey Meadow area still says”Changes planned in Abingdon town centre as part of Integrated Transport Strategy.” The cycling part of that strategy through the town centre never happened.
National Route 5
Signage is worse than 15 years ago. One of the signs on West St Helen Street is only visible to pedestrians, and faces the wrong way.
National Route 5
And if you do find your way from there to Lombard Street you are soon told to dismount.

Colin Walters, a town councillor between 2007-11 made strenuous efforts to make the route through town joined up with a proposed contra-flow at the top of East st Helen Street. It was turned down, on safety grounds, and no alternative has been put forward.
National Route 5
To make matters worse, a car is parked on the double yellow lines (on National Route 5) where a dropped kerb would allow access to the pavement for the mobility scooter. This is in a town that has 2 hours free parking.