State of the Roads

Maggie and I went out for a ride this afternoon, to take a look around.  We took the Land Rover rather than a tandem, and had no particular reason to regret our choice.

We went in a loop around the Brockham/Charlwood/Newdigate/Rusper area, where we often ride, and the summary is that things aren't too bad.  The ground-water is high, and streams and puddles abound, but the floods have gone, at least for the moment.  The gales have brought down many branches and some trees, but these have all been cut up and piled at the sides of the roads, to be picked up when time permits.  Equally, quite a lot of ditches and culverts have been cleared, which has got rid of the floods in Wonham Lane and on Stan Hill, for example.

The bridge on the Flanchford Road, damaged in January, is closed and is likely to remain so for a time.  I have heard that repairs will cost about a million pounds, and clearly the money will have to be found in competition with a lot of other things that need to be done.  I have also heard that the bridge is likely to be re-opened to light traffic, but I've no idea when.  For the moment it is open to pedestrians, so it is possible to cycle over it.

In general the roads are mucky with many new potholes, many of these full of water.  So, with care, it's all passable, and it's perfectly possible to go for a ride if you don't mind getting muddy and wet.

Can Spring be far behind?

Mark