It was just over a week ago we wrote this post about Thurrock Council’s botched handling of the ‘redevelopment’ of the railway station at Stanford-le-Hope: A descent into total farce… That post looked at the ‘temporary’ facilities that are now being put in at the station while awaiting resolution of the issues halting the full redevelopment. We honestly thought that after this, things couldn’t get any worse…WRONG! It transpires that they need to acquire more land to move forwards with the project: Council admits it needs to find more land to complete botched rail station development.

Let this one sink in for a bit… Maybe we’re a bit naïve but we thought that before a major infrastructure project enters the demolition and construction phases, thorough surveys are undertaken to work out what materials are needed, how much labour and equipment will be needed, how much all of this will cost and…exactly how much land is required. What we have instead is a demolished station, ‘temporary’ facilities desperately being installed to enable the station to work better for staff and customers as winter approaches and now, a scramble to acquire the extra land that’s needed. We and many other residents and users of the station in Stanford-le-Hope are getting the distinct impression that Thurrock Council are winging it and haven’t got a sodding clue what they’re doing.

Bear in mind this is the council that thinks it can build an extension to their civic offices in New Road, Grays, for £10 million pounds – a project that has already generated a lot of controversy: And so it comes to pass… Seriously, Thurrock Council would struggle to run a feckin’ bath. They’re not fit for purpose – they’re failing and frantically flailing their arms around while doing so. How much longer are we going to tolerate these pillocks screwing up our borough and impacting on our lives before something gives?