The inability of Transport for London at taking on a project cannot be better demonstrated than the work to replace the 160 yards long Ardleigh Green Bridge on the A127 in Romford. Work began on the 24th September 2014, after interminable delays and changes of builders, the bridge was finished on 30th March 2019, four-and-a-half years of construction chaos, in comparison is a project nearby that TfL didn’t manage. The QEII Bridge, when completed at Thurrock, was the longest cable-stayed single-span suspension bridge in Europe. A four-lane road deck carried by two pairs of steel and concrete masts 276ft tall, founded on 175ft high concrete piers sunk into the Thames. At an overall length of nearly 2 miles, it took only 3 years to build. We should never let the hapless TfL near another bridge project again.

I’ve just been on holiday in Dorset: banks of wildflowers by the side of the road; manicured roundabouts; and clean streets. Upon my return, I realised that I missed a Festival of Litter when the local populace gets the opportunity to decorate their streets with brightly coloured wrappers, breaking up the monotony of grey pavements by liberally peppering them with chewing gun, and ensuring the survival of local wildlife by distributing chips and half-eaten burgers. Next year I’ll ensure that I don’t miss this important event.