Dear Sir,
My article a few weeks ago gave rise to two responses in last week’s edition. Both demand follow up from me.
As well as missing the central point about taxpayers’ money being used frivolously, Darran Weston’s article ridiculed me for ‘going off half cocked’ in citing the Police HQ at Ayckley Head as an example of an old police station building. Read the article properly Darran. I was talking about the police station, not the HQ. It’s the one in New Elvet, backing onto the prison, and it’s probably centuries old. I was fully cocked, Darran.
In fairness to Darran, at least he has the guts to put his name to his letter, which is more than can be said about the other anonymous response, which makes the statement that I think ‘you can put a price on road safety and people’s lives’. This sort of statement is regularly used to support all sorts of arguments and tends to be made by people who do not understand financial and risk management.
Money is a scarce resource which needs to be used wisely. You cannot eliminate risk. I believe the best way to manage this risk is to learn to cross a road safely. There can’t be a lollipop lady or a pedestrian crossing everywhere.
Anonymous writes about a crossing between the roundabout and Washington Crescent, but there is already a lollipop lady covering this, when the schools are in session, so he/she/it/they/them is/are wanting a permanent crossing. Perhaps there is a case for this, but only if the lollipop lady is paid off – who will tell her?
Anonymous invites my complaints about money being spent on the ‘upgrade’ to the Central Avenue and Ricknall Lane junctions. As he/she/it/them/they has asked, of course this is an absolute disgrace and a downgrade, not an upgrade! It all links to the massive extension to the town being imposed upon the people against their will by the County Council to try to make money for (I guess) the Council, by generating more Council Tax they assume will outweigh increased running costs and deterioration in public services per capita.
I have already dissented about this many times, but the Council’s idea of consultation is to ask the people, then ignore all opposing views. If you think it’s hard to get medical attention now, or feel concerned about road congestion, wait until this is built.
John Snowball.