Traffic in Torquay brought to halt by arrival of crane
A GIANT crane brought lengthy traffic tailbacks yesterday when it arrived to lift large sections of Torquay's Rock Walk pathway into place.
The huge lifting equipment — as big as the crane which was used to fell the trees on the overgrown cliff face when the project started three years ago — arrived at about noon.
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Traffic quickly built up as it was manoeuvred into place.
Workers will also be clearing some of the greenery and removing any loose small stones which have fallen on to the supportive netting.
Meanwhile it has been confirmed only a small section of the lower Rock Walk pathway will be open to the public this weekend.
It could be two to three weeks more before the whole project is opened to visitors, though work will continue on the finishing touches before the £3million project is opened in October.
Contractors are still hard at work finishing off Torquay's own 'stairway to heaven' with several purpose-built concrete sections to be put into place and finished off.
Health and safety restrictions mean the only parts of the lower path that can be opened are where no-one is working on the cliff face above.
The carriageway under the cliff face is to be cleaned off and work has started on installing new road signs and parking meters. The carriageway can also only fully open with health and safety approval.
Co-ordinating the different sections of work, together with problems caused by weather and health and safety restrictions are behind the delays, said Ian Williams, facilities and operations manager for parks.
"We cannot allow people to walk or drive below work which is going on on the cliff face," he said. He said electricians putting decorative lights into the risers on the steps had been delayed because of wet weather last week.
Deputy Mayor Chris Lewis said: "Obviously it's disappointing but we had a bad spell of weather. Health and safety is a priority. We have waited three years since the gardens had to be closed because of their derelict condition in 2007, and we are a few weeks adrift. I am sure it will be worth it, we are creating something that will be here for 100 years."
Gardeners are busy putting in Mediterranean-style plants, and the pavement at the Torbay Hotel end has been relaid. A large photographic panel of Torbay has been installed in the restored former shelter, and the beds in front replanted.
Members of the public will initially be allowed in to the site from that end, but only during the day.
A council spokesman apologised for any delays and said the contractors worked through the night last night with the crane due to have left by this morning to minimise disruption.
16 Comments
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by Biffo, Paignton Zoo
Friday, July 30 2010, 1:24AM
“JT, Torquay, it resembles the Eden Project...I think not...where are the biomes, where is the kaolinite pit, nothing compares to the Eden Project, the artificial biome 1 is the largest greenhouse in the world.
This place will be battered during the winter, the thin soil will be removed by the natural elements, it is open to the sea wind and air.
When was the Eden Project launched 2000 and opened in full in 2001, and the plants, trees, fruits, fauna and flora are still growing UNDER GLASS. So here we are in the the autumn of our year and we expect things to grow...no way. Maybe you are right, so we have ten years of scrub land to enjoy.
Lewis's Folly is a great name Paul Rogers, well done.
I could guess at others but they will not publish them on here.
All we have of the Bye, Lewis, Carroll and Parrock is a mess of unfinished jobs.
Do me a favour and look at the Disclosure Log on the Torbay Council site and you will see how these guys on the council are seeing us off and that should be stopped.
Look at the other pages on here today calling for houses to be built to attract businesses to the area...too late that should have started when the factories
first started to close here over 10 years ago. In Paignton STC built houses and that failed.”
by mark, torbay
Friday, July 30 2010, 12:40AM
“the whole thing looks a mess.”
by JT, Torquay
Thursday, July 29 2010, 10:06PM
“It's going to look real smart, it's a bit like the Eden project, when they opened, everything was very bare, but look at it now that things have matured, I'm sure 'Rock Walk' will be great - re: my earlier comment about the signs, I've been told they have changed them around”
by Mosschops, Paignton
Thursday, July 29 2010, 9:16PM
“Julian, the kids have already broken up and the tourists are here, which makes it even more ludicrous that this crane was put in place this week rather than last. The hold ups were horrendous and cost me, and I guess a lot of other people, a lot of lost time. I'll just be glad when it's all done and cleared away, it's been like it for 2 years now.”
by Paul Rogers, Torquay
Thursday, July 29 2010, 9:07PM
“There is only one name to call it and that is Lewis's Folly !”
by Julian, Torquay
Thursday, July 29 2010, 7:58PM
“Well Said Biffo, Paignton Zoo :-)”
by Biffo, Paignton Zoo
Thursday, July 29 2010, 6:49PM
“Ralph Furious, Torquay...well it was being called the "The Royal Terrace" on the blue boards that were in place the other week so your guess is as good as mine.
I haven't had a rant for ages now, I have been taking the pills, I guess you should start taking them with a name such as yours.
I believe in freedom of speech so I am considering increasing the time I spend on here by three fold...bet you love that?
You assume I come from Paignton...I do not.
Whatever it is, The Royal Terrace, Rock Walk or Fishermans Walk it will be a landmark we will have to endure for the next 10 years before anything grows, it is being planted at the wrong time of year.
What do you expect from the failed guys that run this place, Bye, Lewis, Carroll and Parrott, as Julian says it will be bye Bye soon, why don't the guys just quit now.
Most interesting thing I have read recently is the Disclosure Log, 2010 from the Torbay Council, they even have questions on there that are from October 2010, we aren't even there yet. Typical crap practice and cover up from the Council.”
by Mrs Dixon's Husband, Paignton
Thursday, July 29 2010, 4:54PM
“Hey Desmond, haven't you anything better to do than whinge about us whinging?...it's getting tiresome!;)
....or would you rather us look at the world with rose-coloured glasses and pretend there's nothing to criticise?
By the way, you may have noticed that the other day I said I was impressed by what they're doing with Rock Walk”
by Julian, Torquay
Thursday, July 29 2010, 4:06PM
“Well this joke of a council have only days left to make it look nice, Its the start of the summer holidays on Monday and heaven forbid that they upset the tourist. I mean after all, they pay the council tax in torbay for 12months of the year..OH NO WAIT, THAT WOULD BE US!!! Proving once again that the council could not care less about the residents in torbay as 10months out the year we have to put up with the crap, red tape, excuses and Car parks prices that don't give the residents any breaks for living here. Sure they offer a all weekend £1 scheme but that's normally to attract tourist and to make the council look brill.
I think its hilarious how Nic Bye Bye Bye only comments about a few OLD peoples views in his column and does not comment about how much bad feeling there is towards him. I seem to remember the guy running the light shop at the top of union street almost coming to blows with Nic bye over shop rents. Typical Tory spin, post nice views or pensioners who don't pay council taxes but ignore the working class peoples views here. BRILLIANT!
See you at the exit door come 2011.”
by Ralph Furious, Torquay
Thursday, July 29 2010, 2:25PM
“Rock Walk in Torquay will be called, unsurprisingly, 'Rock walk in Torquay'. So not 'Rock Walk near Paignton' - Biffo. If you don't like OUR newly restored cliff gardens then you're perfectly welcome to stay in your own town of Paignton which has equally marvellous attractions I'm sure.
Just as an aside, given the quantity of your outpourings on these comment pages, haven't you got anything better to do?”