Junction work is a big improvement
Tony Parker asks (ViewPoint, January 9) whether the works at the Cock Hotel junction represent good value for money.
From my own experience as a cyclist using the junction daily in both directions, the work has led to real improvements.
These include a much smoother and safer surface (previously dangerous in many places), making it easier to concentrate on other traffic. Clear road markings are another huge help. The lane layout is generally improved and removal of the “left only” lane into Welford Road is particularly welcome for cyclists. The new lighting sequence tends to reduce “stop-start” traffic, although for cyclists a slower “green wave” would be preferable.
The shared cycle/pedestrian paths on each side of the road are harder to assess. Their design creates many potential conflict points with cars and pedestrians, especially around the bus stops. However they are clearly useful for some cyclists, and most people seem to be using them responsibly so far.
Overall, for me, this project has produced smoother, safer traffic flow and a more enjoyable ride to work. As a nearby resident I would also like to praise the contractors, who I thought did an excellent job in difficult circumstances.
Philip Gray,
Newington Road, Northampton.
Immigration at root of problem
Many letters to ViewPoint describe some of the many problems we face locally and in the UK, but no reasons are given for them.
Is it any wonder to my mind for example that the NHS is in serious nursing and financial difficulties, when this “international” service is attempting to treat such vast numbers?
Uncontrolled mass immigration is the main culprit. More than four million migrants flooded into GB from the EU and worldwide in the 13 years of Labour’s reckless open door policy, besides the estimated one million here illegally. Surely they don’t come for our weather?
From 1997 Blair and Brown deliberately changed the face of the country by allowing multi-culturalism and diversity to flourish, protected by PC and human rights laws, to change our way of life, our traditions, forever.
The majority haven’t paid taxes or contributed to welfare funds either, but many receive state payments with little or no contribution, another burden to our already cash-strapped economy. 371,000 of them claim out of work benefit, costing millions. We have 2.6 million of our own unemployed, yet 2.1 million jobs have been taken by foreigners.
The infrastructure is at breaking point, local services are under great pressure by sheer numbers, 33,000 street lights are switched off locally, our roads are gridlocked, trains/buses are overcrowded, there is a huge housing shortage, schools are overwhelmed, many kids don’t speak English on entry, adding to the crippling educational costs, consequently teaching is initially by electronic translation methods.
New supermarkets are springing up like mushrooms locally and nationally to feed this colossal population explosion creating thousands of jobs but to no avail. That’s stalemate! Manufacturing is desperately required to get this country out of serious trouble, not by further immigration, a big problem indeed, in more ways than one!
It is estimated the populous of this small island will increase to 70 million by the year 2020, basically due to immigration. By then there will be a shortage of water, gas/electricity supplies mainly by German and French companies at very high cost.
This is just the thin end of the wedge. The political party responsible for destroying our once “Great” Britain should never be allowed to govern this country ever again.
Keith Jackson,
Tavistock Close, Northampton.
Club failed fans and players
LEON Barwell’s your exercise of taking the match to Milton Keynes was, I think, an obvious financial success but he failed both the players and fans by creating an away fixture at the stadiummk.
The match, venue and occasion were excellent but we were almost outnumbered by Munster supporters.
He mentioned he wanted to broaden the fan base ready for the ground expansion at the Gardens . . . well unless he is trying to attract people in Limerick, he failed.
While at the match I made a calculation in four areas of the ground and found there was a 60/40 per cent Saints to Munster support and considering that most of Munster had been over since Friday they were all in full voice.
Taking the 22,220 attendance, this equates to 13,330 Saints and 8,800 from Munster having bought their tickets through both Munster and Northampton with the help of many Irish friends living in England. Correct me if I am wrong but is the average crowd at the Gardens not 13,000?
I appreciate business is business (£300,000-ish less expenses) but in future he shouldn’t try to kid the fans and players it will be a “sea of green, black and gold” at Milton Keynes. The atmosphere would have been much better at the Gardens, our home.
John Crouch,
Lister Drive, Northampton.
Use community cash on PCSOs
Councillor David Mackintosh says he didn’t come into politics to make difficult decisions like cutting the number of Police Community Support Officers (ViewPoint, January 17). I’ll make it easy for him. He wants to give £3,000 a year to each councillor for them to fund their own pet projects in their wards. That’s £130,000; more than enough to fund the borough council’s share of the popular PCSOs who make the communities that each and every councillor serves safer to live in for each and every resident.
Given a choice between giving favoured organisations a few hundred quid, or keeping entire communities safe, it is clear how hard-pressed council tax payers would prefer to see their money spent! But of course, the recent council meeting exposed Councillor Mackintosh and his deputy as lacking even a basic understanding of what Police Community Support Officers do.
Secondly, he wants to spend tax payers’ money on an extra member of staff to run the Conservative group’s office. Is that really necessary? No previous administration of the borough council – Conservative, Labour or Lib Dem – has needed three staff to run a party group office. So why does Councillor Mackintosh need them?
Not “difficult decisions” . . . simple common sense really!
Conservatives used to claim to be the party of law and order and careful management of the public purse strings. In his short time in office, Councillor Mackintosh has shown that Northampton Conservatives have rapidly dropped both claims.
Paul Varnsverry,
Delapre, Northampton.
Just a political beauty contest
This May some of the largest cities in England will hold a referendum on whether they should have a directly-elected mayor.
I am strongly opposed to directly-elected mayors, as I believe they put too much power in the hands of one individual and it ends up being little more than a political beauty contest.
At the borough council election last May, Northampton Labour Party clearly stated we are opposed to having a directly-elected mayor for Northampton and would fight any future plans.
I really hope the Coalition government doesn’t force any mayoral referendum on us like they are doing in other parts of the country such as Nottingham and Birmingham. Northampton has its own civic traditions such as dispersing power rather than concentrating it and using a mayor for only ceremonial matters. Put simply, a directly-elected mayor just doesn’t suit Northampton at all.
For similar reasons I don’t think Police Commissioners are in Northampton’s interests either. Having a single politician in charge of the whole of Northamptonshire Police will jeopardise their operational independence and political party interests will put traditional police neutrality at great risk. I think people in Northampton want the police to be answerable to them rather than a politician drawing a huge salary from the police budget.
Councillor Ifty Choudary,
Labour, Abington ward, Northampton Borough Council.
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