October 31: 'Improvements' of the traffic lunatics
Two million pounds is to be spent "improving" the Cock Hotel Junction in Northampton, including the demolition of the White Horse. Pity about that. After all, the millions spent on such schemes over the years has been an unmitigated disaster.
The congestion at the Cock is caused mainly by the previous "improvement" when the number of lanes available to straight-on traffic was reduced and when traffic from the town centre was and is stopped at least two car lengths from the natural stop line in deference to non-existent pedestrians. That cost at least half-a-million.
Perhaps the most lunatic improvement of them all is at the St Andrew's Road junction by the railway station. There, left and right turns to and from St Andrew's Road have been banned along with the straight-on movement to Marefair.
That forces large detours and overloads the St Peter's Way roundabout while Marefair, a valuable link in the road network, is empty. One good thing is that the planners can cheer the large area of seating that they have provided. The non-existent people enjoy the traffic no end.
Not only do these schemes cost a fortune but they cause congestion all day when none need exist. The cost imposed on motorists will run to tens of millions of pounds per year, let alone the frustration.
Is it not time for the council to get a grip, sack those who have imposed this nonsense upon us and put other sacks over the tops of 90 per cent of the traffic signals in the town?
Next they could use nearly all the speed humps to fill potholes. Just try driving through Brackmills . . . miles and miles of pure nightmare.
Paul Withrington,
Director, Transport-Watch, Northampton.
Leader Brian brings new hope
MY heartiest congratulations to our new leader of the borough council, Brian Hoare . . . a man of long-standing integrity and high moralistic values.
In my opinion, he is the best man to do the job of instilling some hope and much-needed pride back into Northampton town.
He is the stuff that good leaders are made of, something this town has been needing for for a long time.
I've seen Brian many a time working tirelessly in all weathers delivering the Focus or talking over pertinent issues with residents in meetings, always with a genuine interest at heart and not afraid to own up to what he cannot deliver.
Even when he lost his seat in the county council election, Brian carried on working for what he believes in, the people of this town. Well done Brian, I feel hopeful already.
Sue Jackson,
Westleigh Close, Abington, Northampton.
Answers steered in 'right' direction
IN answer to Anne Jones (October 14), politics abounds with consultations and inquiries. While sometimes things are achieved, all too often these are just delaying tactics or an illusion of democracy.
Despite Anne's assertion, I think many councillors really are interested in the public giving their views.
Consultations can be a mere charade and not confined to politicians. Anyone in a group can decide something, ask everyone else then announce it.
This consultation process is an example of top-down Government, using statistics and tick-boxes.
Cleverly worded questions can steer the answers in the “right” direction. Jargon makes discussion easier for colleagues, but there is a clear impression that they are happy for us not to understand.
I have had copies of the thick agendas that county council has. It is not surprising that rank-and-file have to rely on prcis and their superiors. Hardly good democracy.
Anne Jones is a little hard on those concerned. My own submission was acknowledged. Presumably the questions required detailed answers which are difficult to give while the consultation is proceeding, but an acknowledgment is in order.
The WJPU, like WNDC, is dominated by appointees, so it is unfair to accuse councillors of selling us down the river. While Anne may have a point about Councillor Woods’s lack of communication, he quite clearly had more pressing things on his mind.
Colin Bricher,
Local Spokesman, Christian Peoples Alliance party, Northampton.
Reds were a real threat to Britain
I Have been reading with interest and following on television, the furore that the BNP has caused. Surely in a free and democratic society the party has a right to express its views, however repugnant they might be to other people.
Consider the damage to British industry caused by communist filtration into the unions with orders from Moscow which ultimately destroyed our car industry and closed down our coal mines. This is when it was discovered that we could buy coal from Australia cheaper than we could produce our own.
On the BBC one night I heard the son of traitor Kim Philby, who had nipped behind the Iron Curtain, saying how proud he was of his father, without any heckling or hindrance. The Communist system proved to be just as evil as National Socialism.
Charles Keith Barker,
High Street, Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Sheds and trees are needed
THE Northampton Urban Farm Project desperately needs sheds, assorted tools, a metal container with lid for feed and any native trees for planting out in November and December. If you can help out with the above we would be really grateful.
We are happy to dismantle any sheds donated and dig up any self-seeded native trees in your garden. Please leave an email on the link on our website www.nufp.co.uk or phone 07849 828055.
Elizabeth Tate,
Northampton Urban Farm Project.
He should sit on the spare tree
Councillor Paul Varnsverry wants to spend 250,000 plus a further 30,000 for a project to illuminate the Market Square.
Then we have Councillor Brendan Glynane, who last year spent 33,000 on three plastic Christmas trees, one he does not know where it will go, so is asking people to suggest somewhere.
May I suggest he sits on it in the Market Square this Christmas or until these 250,000 hi-tech lights go on. What a waste of taxpayers’ money.
M McCleave,
The Piece, Cogenhoe.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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