OPINION: Letters to the editor of the Newbury Weekly News
Police station should be open more hours
This letter is to ask your readers if they are fed up with not being able to contact the local police station at weekend or evenings?
I left an item at the bus station at about 7.45pm.
I phoned the 101 number. When I eventually got through to the correct department the phone was not picked up, having let it ring for 30 minutes plus.
According to the recorded message an outside agency was supposed to pick up the call.
This did not happen, so I went to the police station the following morning (a Sunday) only to find it closed – only open Monday to Friday and closed at 4pm.
When I did first phone the recorded messages told me to report anything online. Not everyone is able to do this.
Some elderly people do not have access to a computer or are unable to understand the procedure.
I will be contacting the local MP Lee Dillon about this and other matters, and asking where does our council tax money go?
It should be used for the people of Newbury.
Mrs V Church
Cromwell Road, Shaw
Bradfield road closure is so ill thought out
Please find some further details and thoughts on your short article about the almost year-long road closure in Bradfield to enable the college to repair a roof.
It is a significant inconvenience for not only the locals but also anybody driving through the village because the road is surprisingly well used by all sizes of vehicle.
No consultation or information was provided to all those affected until recently and it was then presented as a fait accompli.
The traffic-handling scheme is ill thought out, as it requires larger vehicles to follow a detour route of 30 miles, and cars a diversion of nearly 10 miles.
This will not work as the diversion starts so far away from the affected junction that drivers unfamiliar with the area will not realise it affects them until they get close to the actual closure.
Drivers, once they find a problem, would rely on their satnavs/ phones to take them around the blockage.
This would mean travelling down the lanes around the village which in most places are single width.
These lanes are already well used by large farm vehicles, cars accessing homes and work places, and coaches/buses transporting visitors to the John Simmonds Trust’s site.
The most likely result will be cars going at unsafe speeds because they have been delayed, gridlock as large vehicles meet and the potential for (hopefully minor) incidents greatly increased.
The road to be closed is two lanes wide, with paths and verges, and yet the college insists the scaffold scheme they have come up with needs a full closure to comply with WBC requirements.
I assume this is because the scaffold scheme is the most straightforward and cheapest for the project.
This is all very well, but it completely ignores the effects on local residents and the safety of road users on local roads that will become overloaded with traffic.
When asked about this the college representatives said this was the only way to carry out the work.
To maintain that this is the only way to carry out the work appears disingenuous, given that similar work on similar width, or narrower, roads in towns manages to have scaffolding blocking half of a road and yet maintain traffic access using traffic lights.
There is a good example in the middle of Thame, where the busy major road entering the shopping area has been occupied by scaffold for many months for half its width whilst a roof has been completely replaced.
It must be possible to carry out the work without closing the road and instead operating with traffic lights.
If it means extra protection between the scaffold/work area and traffic, and some modification to working methodology, then so be it.
Use of large temporary concrete kerbing in this role is very common.
It is surprising and regrettable that the college seems to have taken a very high-handed approach to the needs of the local community, as normally they are a very helpful, valuable and considerate part of village life.
Nigel Butcher
Southend Bradfield
Fines for driving over bridge are just wrong
Since 2011, West Berkshire Council have falsely asserted, online, their right under law to levy a PCN-enforced charge on motorists who use the Wharf bridge.
This must surely be serious fraud upon the public (made clear to council officers in a 2015 hearing, when a challenge was upheld).
The ‘permission’ to levy charges, ‘held’ by the council is and has always been, void.
I, once again, call on the council to redress and refund.
Barrie Singleton
River Walk, Shaw
Indoor market would be good for stallholders
As a regular visitor to Newbury Market I feel for the stallholders standing out in the freezing weather.
I have suggested an indoor market many many times, one drawback being some stallholders have refrigerated vehicles, but I’m sure freezers on wheels could cope with that problem.
Permanent post holders situated in the Market Place have to tie down stalls on windy wet days.
The council must encourage more stall holders; it’s embarrassing the amount of stalls on a Thursday morning.
John Mills
Newbury
Thanks for handing in my lost wallet in town
I’d like to thank the very kind gentleman who found my wallet in Newbury on Friday and took it to the solicitor.
It’s nice to know there are still some honest and kind people around.
Thank you so much.
Name and address supplied
Parcel delivery truly brightened my day
On this particularly cold, wet, windy, dreary and miserable December day came a knock at my door this morning.
There stood a most lovely lady with a wonderful smile and very friendly manner, announcing in a cheery voice that she was from the Parcel Fund and handed me my goodies.
All of a sudden, although the sun didn’t shine, it might as well have done.
I had no idea that I would receive my parcel again and I am so pleased and grateful to all who made this delivery possible – it truly brightened my day.
Although I know so many kind groups always help with the process and organisation of the parcels, unbeknown to me my lady told me that it would appear my grandson helped last year.
I should like to thank all the voluntary organisations such as Rotary Clubs, Cub groups, school children and college students who give their time as well as local companies, organisations and the Greenham Trust who make the deliveries possible.
The over 80s in Newbury are very spoilt having a Parcel Fund just for them and, as a recipient of that fund, can I convey to everyone involved a heartfelt huge thank you.
The items in the parcel are so well thought through in sensible quantities and sizes and go a long way to assist an ever-stretched budget.
Thank you again for including me in your distribution list, it’s very much appreciated.
I wish everyone involved a very Happy Christmas, thank you again and bless you all.
Christine Fairbrother
Newbury
