Strange Diversions

There have been some strange bus diversion of late due the new policy of closing complete sections of roads to do resurfacing rather to introduce traffic lights and keeping a single carriageway open. This has been causing a number of problems for the local bus drivers especially down some of the country roads that are no more than a single track without passing places.

The problem for the bus drivers is that the average bus on number 19 route, between Oakham and Nottingham is over 40 foot long and weighs in at over 5 tons. It can't get round corners like a family car and has a non-existent turning circle, so getting it to turn in some of the junctions on some of the single track roads is impossible. 

With the coming road closure for maintenance work in Whissendine the number 19 bus is being sent on 5 mile plus diversion down single track roads. This is just at the point where it is highly probably it will meet another number 19 bus coming in the opposite direction. The last time Rutland Country Council did something similar that is exactly what happened and both buses struggled to get past each other on a single track road. 

I'm not sure who plans the diversion routes but they should try driving these routes in a bus before they put them in place. Then may be they would realise what they are asking the bus drivers to do on some of the country roads we have in Rutland. 

Finally a failing of Rutland County Council is to produce and publicise details of the routes in advance. There is little on there website and there is no maps of the diversions. This needs sorting and the diversions need to be published well in advance.

It is going to be a interesting trip for the next few days, with the drivers having to drive at speed to make up  for the time lost in the 5 mile diversion, I just hope they don't meet another number 19 along the way coming in the opposite direction.