The gravel road of contention

Locals who are lobbying for the upgrade of the P227 road near Sheffield have handed a petition to the transport department.
The gravel road, which runs between the R102 and Salt Rock Drive, has been a hazard to drivers and pedestrians and residents have been calling for it’s upgrade for months (‘Gravel road needs tarring’, Courier, August 9).
The road caters to a number of businesses with heavy loads as well as hundreds aof tourists that visit the Flag Animal Farm.
A number of local farmers and business owners, including The Grange’s Norman Parnell, Adrian Reynolds and Flag Animal Farm’s owner Julian Foster-Green wood were joined by councillors Anne McDonnell and Colin Marsh to meet with the Transport Department Engineering Services manager Wally Bennett.
They discussed various shortcomings of road works and repairs in the area. The councillors and locals were encouraged to keep hounding local service providers.
Bennett then accompanied the group as they drove him along the roads in question.
Parnell hopes that now that the petition has been received by the traffic department, their calls for help may be answered.
“I just hope that it gets to where it needs to go,” said Parnell.
During the informal meeting, Bennett confirmed that the road which runs from the N2’s Tinley Manor off-ramp to Shakaskraal has been ear-marked for a R68 million upgrade which should begin mid way next year.
Its upgrade is mainly due to the construction of the Avon Peaking Power plant (‘Councillors okay next step for Avon power plant’, Courier, October 25).
The road was recently fitted with new cats-eyes but the large amount of potholes on the road have already started to eat up some of the new fittings.