By Councillor Debbie Shears

Merton residents will hopefully join me in welcoming the crackdown at last on roadworks in our borough and the success of a lengthy campaign by local Conservatives.

After years of campaigning on this, Conservative councillors are pleased that the Labour Council has at last signed up to the Mayor of London’s Permit Scheme, which means that utility companies and others will now have to apply for permission first before digging up the borough’s streets.

Boris Johnson’s pioneering permit scheme was first launched back in January 2010 and has proved successful elsewhere in London at tackling the disruption and frustration caused by poorly planned roadworks.

It is only right that residents and businesses here in Merton should benefit from it too.

Of course what the Labour cabinet member fails to mention is that the previous Conservative administration had committed to Merton joining the scheme back in the very early stages.

However all this work was put on hold when Labour took control of the council in May 2010.

I’m afraid Merton’s Labour Council doesn’t seem to care a jot for the borough’s long suffering motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

Otherwise, why have they not acted sooner to tackle the scourge of unplanned roadworks which causes increased congestion on our roads?

Unfortunately Labour’s continual dither and delay has meant two-and-a-half years of unnecessary misery for Merton’s road users.

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