Yellow brick roadworks mess

National Grid were a couple of days late finishing laying electricity cables along Nailsea High Street but not everyone was pleased how the road was put back together.

It isn’t a yellow brick road for sure and North Somerset Council inspectors agree.

Aarons Pets owner Martin Young said: “National Grid, please can you get your contractors back, and put the pavements back how they were originally.

“You have done a cheap fix with Tarmac, when the bricks should have been re-laid, just outside the fish shop and our Station Road shop.

“We pay our high rates, so please put back how it was originally.”

The High Street bumpy road surface has been the subject of numerous complaints from drivers and pedestrians.

A National Grid Electricity Distribution spokesman said: “When carrying out reinstatement work on pavements or roads after replacing underground cables, we do so according to the requirements of the local authority concerned which then reviews it and can issue a defect notice.

"No defect notice has been issued for this work.”

But now North Somerset Council spokesman said: “Our inspector has visited the site.

“The works have been failed due to the use of incorrect materials.

“The contractors have used Tarmac instead of pavers.

“A fine has also been issued because the yellow lines are incomplete.

"The utility company will have to come and fix the defective work."

A Nailsea Town Council spokesman said: “We are aware that the bricks have been replaced with Tarmac and have reported this to North Somerset Council who is the highways authority. 

“However, we were not party to what was agreed to be done as this is also the responsibility of highways authority.”

The High Street roadworks delayed Nailsea Town Council taking down the Christmas decorations.

The tradition is that it is bad luck to keep decorations up after Twelfth Night as decorations left up after this date will become possessed by goblins.

The town council spokesman added:  “We are in the process of taking down the Christmas lights now that the High Street is clear of roadworks.”

National Grid is still working in Nailsea with diversions in place at The Causeway and parts of Silver Street are being dug up in roadworks

scheduled to last until Friday, February 23.

Guy Opperman MP the Minister for Roads and Local Transport has announced plans to fine utility companies whose roadworks don’t finish on time.

On Wednesday, February 7, starting at 2.30pm North Somerset Council executive will ponder over introducing car parking fees for Nailsea and to ask householders about three weekly non-recyclable collections.

The Weston Town Hall meeting is being broadcast live here https://youtube.com/live/-ju9FqEWRoo. 

And you can read more on our Green Peeps page HERE.

At the meeting councillors will make a decision on whether to consult residents on switching to three-weekly collections of non-recyclable black bin waste, in a bid to increase recycling rates and cut costs.

Nailsea People warned about these changes in January 2020 but the wheels of democracy move slowly.

It seems a long time ago when the 'welcome to Nailsea' signs sported the word 'free car parking'.

If agreed local people will be asked their views on charge locations, pricing, hours of operation, terms of short-stay permits and more. 

The nation took former Nailsea School student and disability model Mollie Pearce to their hearts when horrid Harry Clark duped her in the final of the BBC reality TV series The Traitors and walked off with the prize pot.

But lovely Mollie, aged 22, after initially swearing on show when she found out said: “After all it was a game, I just trusted the wrong person.

“It’s such a wild game, and I had the best experience ever, and I’m not going to let what happened at the end take away from that.

“I've forgiven Harry, we all signed up for the game, you can't hold any resentment to anyone."

Mollie did achieve her ambition of raising disability awareness as since the show ended she has been able to tell her story on Breakfast Television, The Lorraine Show, Masterchef, Traitors Uncloaked and BBC radio as well as featuring in national newspapers including the front page of Metro.

Her own Instagram following has gone from 4,000 followers to more than 81,000.

And encouragement came from lots of local people.

Nailsea School posted on its Facebook page: "We're so excited to see ex-student Mollie P on the BBC reality show The Traitors. 
"Mollie is a fierce advocate for body positivity and has visited us to speak with our students about good mental health & wellbeing.

"We wish her the very best of luck on the show."

Mollie said: “After being born with a limb difference, battling ulcerative colitis for seven years and having a stoma bag for three I can finally say I’m starting to love myself and accept who I am.”

Nailsea People Facebook post reached 7,000 with hundreds of comments from local well-wishers.

Mollie posted a personal message.

She said: “This is so, so lovely, thank you for all your support.” 

Traitor Harry scooped all the £95,150 prize money.

He and faithful Mollie were the last remaining players, after both voted to eliminate faithful Jaz Singh.

At the end British army engineer Harry said: "My legs are shaking, I just won £95,000.”

Mollie failed to identify Harry as a traitor despite Jaz voting to banish him, so she did not win any of the prize money.

Harry came close to being voted out himself as the final three had a showdown around the fire in the Scottish castle. Viewers watched as Mollie began to write his name down for banishment, before switching to account manager Jaz.

Balancing council budget with fewer bin collections + car park fees