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Now that plans for a second river crossing at Newbridge have been shelved, the County is making efforts to enforce the 18 tons weight limit on the old bridge, in hope of prolonging the life of this historic, slowly crumbling structure. Drivers with their eyes off the road at this point will have noticed a battery of cameras on a blue pole outside the Maybush. These spot high vehicles and record their registration numbers. Lorries caught this way are identified with help from the DVLA, and if they turn out to be above the proscribed weight limit both they and their drivers are sent a warning letter. In the first four months of operation, there have been 493 such detections, although 195 of these went unwarned because they were either foreign registered or had obscured number plates. However, this three-fifths hit-rate seems to be working, as so far there have been no repeat offenders; if there are any, the County says it will prosecute, and there is an intention to chase foreign drivers with police help. With the altered parish boundaries, this stretch of river bank and the length of A415 between the pub and the by-pass will lie within Longworth parish from May next year.
Potholes have become a nationwide bore, but I had thought I was doing well on that front when, two weeks ago and after only two formal requests, the County roadmen started filling in the deeper craters in Church Lane; however, having plugged those immediately outside my house, they then abruptly stopped work and left. I am unsure whether singling me out for attention in this way is due to any influence on my part (surely not?), or whether they simply ran out of tar and enthusiasm. Be that as it may, and whilst I am on the general subject of tarmac, I cannot leave unremarked the splendid make-over Hinton High Street has (finally) received at the road-menders' hands; driving over the new surface they have laid there is now a smooth, silent joy.
The village has had its share of mortality of late; some unexpectedly tragic, all sad. St. Mary's memorial services have played to full houses on at least three occasions. Our new Rector may draw some encouragement from this level of attendance, but not too much; sentiment trumps faith. Elsabe Walton's death after long illness has left a vacancy on the Parish Council, needing to be filled in short order by either election or co-option of a new member. This will be only temporary pending elections in May, when the new boundaries will then oblige us to find seven councillors from a reduced electorate. I hope that when the time comes this will not prove difficult.
And finally…a local farmer reports that dog walkers, dutifully scooping poop, then seal the offending item in a plastic bag and drop it in the nearest hedge. Although clearly well-intentioned, and surely in accord with the best health-and-safety guidelines, this practice can only serve to hinder the natural biodegradeability of the product.
Alan Boyce
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