New Fencing at Alton Towers

I have just been browsing through the planning application that got accepted for the various fences.

It seems this fence is not what they submitted on the planning application, as it was meant to run along the wall, so you could still walk on the raised section: http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/portal/servlets/AttachmentShowServlet?ImageName=52892

Also the fence they have installed in front of the towers is not all the same as what they submitted, the plans showed that the new fence would run all the way along the current wall. However from what I saw at Feb Half term, some of the new fence runs along the wall, but the majority of it is placed in front of the wall, rather than on top.

It also seems we might not need to worry too much about the mesh fences near Hex in Her Ladyships garden, as the plans state that a new yew hedge will be planted all along where the mesh fence is.

However i'm guessing the plans may have changed and not uploaded to the council website, or towers may have gone back with new plans and the council and agreed they are OK.

That would of looked much better...

It looks.. Well stupid to see stairs blocked behind a fence.. Sounds silly but I assume most of you understand me

I only went for the rides anyway.




Hmm....

Alton Resort: Where the Fencing Never Ends.

James said:

Alton Resort: Where the Fencing Never Ends.

Click to expand...

Actually fencing implies a sport with slightly pointy things! That will never catch on!!

They need one thing; a bloody great sign at the entrance, on the ticket and on the map explaining that Alton Towers is a centuries old protected estate in natural surroundings which include unprotected deep water, drops and uneven surfaces. By entering you agree to take reasonable responsibility for yourself, your children and those in your care.

Is it me or does all this fencing subconsciously say. our guests are a bunch of muppets with no common sense? or is it just me that thinks that

I look forward to when kids climb over the new fence, walk on the raised walkway, fall off and injure themselves on top of the new fences

pluk said:

They need one thing; a bloody great sign at the entrance, on the ticket and on the map explaining that Alton Towers is a centuries old protected estate in natural surroundings which include unprotected deep water, drops and uneven surfaces. By entering you agree to take reasonable responsibility for yourself, your children and those in your care.

Click to expand...

No disrespect but I would hasten a guess that many of the kids that visit, in addition to some of their parents, couldnt even read let alone understand or respect the history of the place.

Anyway, no doubt all the fences will be stolen for their metal come April when the travellers arrive.

There will be masses of white n rust Ford Transit pick up's making a hasty exit out of the park loaded up with black metal fences in the back.

A fell swoop of generalisation and racism in one neatly arranged post, huzzah!


It seems that whatever occurs at Chessington these days filters through the panic streams of Merlin for getting a bad rep, so we get over-the-top reactions to things (in our opinions, because it would seem many of us have the common sense to go "Oh, it's a sheer drop there, better not go too near the edge"), so that they can prevent further misfortune/court cases/payouts...

I've said in regards to the walkway fence that it does make sense, what with the excessively eroded steps at the end turning into an actual unsafe situation... It's the sort of situation where even common sense won't save someone from slipping or whatever (especially if walking from Mutiny Bay), so it's a precaution that I think is right for them to take... Did they do it in the right way? Well that's the issue, it seems that giant (climable) fences are the way to protect people here, which is a strange one (especially since Tomb Blaster's fences have more kids climbing on them than ever since the incident)...

Would Towers be allowed to replace the stonework is a question I'd ask... Or is it truly a case of budget?

As for the others, haven't seen them to give some judgement... Aren't there ones surrounding the Towers 'moat' now or something? Are the ones in the gardens around sheer cliff edges?

The stairs have always been eroded though. It's not a new or recent thing. I remember 10 years ago when I was a kid my mum used to hold my hand walking up them because I didn't like the dip in the stairs.

So them being eroded is not the reason unless it has taken them over a decade (probably far more than that) to realise it has been eroded.

To me it implies the general public cannot even be trusted to walk around the park now. It's pretty pathetic. That's H&S crazed Britain for you. We'll be told how to wipe our arses soon for health and safety reasons.

When are Towers going to fence the lake off? That's exposed directly onto many paths...

I did notice some new fences in the gardens over FHT unfortunately, although none as obtrusive as the bridge fencing.

The beautiful white cast iron bridge railings, on the same path, have also had stainless steel wire attached, presumably to stop children under 0.3m falling through the gaps. (if children on that height are allowed in the vicinity unattended they don't have much chance of survival regardless )

People have been fine for centuries, and just like any high ledge or bridge, common sense seems to have prevailed to deter any incidents at the Towers.

Funnily enough my other half has always said that the bridge in question is dangerous, and when our boy was small, she would never have let him play/walk on it. As much as we didn't take him at that age, my opinion would have differed somewhat as I believe children shouldn't be 'mommy-coddled' and allowed to learn for themselves. (Within reason, of course.) I would hope that any child would know that a fall is bad. What amazes me with all this fencing is that along the woodland walk there are 200ft drops to one side which are not sided by a sturdy concrete structure, but loose ground...

Have the steps been actually been so badly eroded that half of it appears to be a slide now though?

There's clearly a limit of what is considered safe or not, and as erosion takes time to occur, is it that surprising that it's taken some time (without any incident) to add a fence of safety?

Common sense went as soon as that girl went off Tomb Blaster's queue...

Yes the steps are badly corroded, and lean forwards.

As for the time, i think its less to do with how long its taken them to put up the fence with regards the erosion but more do with society as a whole and the blame culture we now live in. Add to this the fact Alton open's in February for half term, when there may be ice on some of the paths in the mornings, it would only take one person to slip on those steps, smack their head, or break something and Alton will have a big payout to make.

I think the fence is the cheaper option, regardless of how pleasing to the eye it isnt.

In response to what 'The Man' said in the 'General' topic about using Photoshop...Pfft, who needs Photoshop...

Introducing my 'MS Paint' skills learned in 1999

djtruefitt said:

I have just been browsing through the planning application that got accepted for the various fences.

It seems this fence is not what they submitted on the planning application, as it was meant to run along the wall, so you could still walk on the raised section: http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/portal/servlets/AttachmentShowServlet?ImageName=52892

Also the fence they have installed in front of the towers is not all the same as what they submitted, the plans showed that the new fence would run all the way along the current wall. However from what I saw at Feb Half term, some of the new fence runs along the wall, but the majority of it is placed in front of the wall, rather than on top.

It also seems we might not need to worry too much about the mesh fences near Hex in Her Ladyships garden, as the plans state that a new yew hedge will be planted all along where the mesh fence is.

However i'm guessing the plans may have changed and not uploaded to the council website, or towers may have gone back with new plans and the council and agreed they are OK.

Click to expand...

Could we not potentially be looking at getting the fence which is shown here but due to the EH it takes longer to sign off so have put this fence up in the short term?

Hoping this doesn't come across as a newbie/rookie post

Is the issue not partly with the steps though? It doesn't seem like having that proposed fence running along the edge of the steps/ledge is going to massively solve the problem (I'm just envisioning people looking at the fence and then proceeding to use the steps without actually using the fence for support).

As has been said before, maybe after submitting that application they realised that fencing wouldn't do enough in terms of H&S and/or preservation and so changed it to what we unfortunately now have.

If it was short term would they not have just stuck some of their temporary barriers around it rather than going to the trouble of constructing what looks like a fairly permanent fence?

Taken from the THEME PARK REGULATIONS

10. If you behave in a manner which will or is likely to endanger the safety of another, you will be escorted from the Resort. The climbing of, or standing upon, fences, barriers, walls, ride structures, or buildings is strictly prohibited for this reason.

Click to expand...

Im not either for or against this if im honest.

Part of me thinks that this bridge is a beautiful part of the park, and what makes it stand out beyond anything the other parks can throw at me. The house and gardens need to be protected from the chavs and the riff raff. Wrecking them cost nothing, repairing them and the chav after he/she has been hurt does cost. Plus.......the fence isn't that much of an eyesore and similar fences can be seen at other Heritage sights.

Over my 30 years of breathing, I remember a time (Late 80's early 90'S) where the state would simply make us watch a video at school telling us that it dangerous out there, unless you are sensible. (good old electrocution Victim Jimmy, who if you remember was pussy whipped into retrieving his Frisbee from a substation. She cried when he was dead.) The state have slowly realised that simply telling us and putting signs up does not actually stop the idiots doing it, and can cause people to actually do it.

which leads me to point number 2........... The fence could be better and more appealing to blend into the park. The park over years has become homage to H&s Ideas gone mad and lets be honest these are never pretty. Once just once the park could spend some good money in making the park less, well, quick fix is only phrase I can think of.

I read the comments about this fencing before I saw the photos of it.

After seeing the photos, I was wondering if some of the responses were satirising what whiny enthusiasts may respond with, but I fear they're real.

There's a reason for installing stuff like this - it won't have been cheap, they've not done it just to annoy you.