This week's Bromsgrove and Droitwich Standard letters....... - The Droitwich Standard

This week's Bromsgrove and Droitwich Standard letters.......

Droitwich Editorial 3rd Sep, 2021   0

Still many unanswered questions about the need for the A38 bridges

AS FORMER Conservative chairman covering St John`s Ward, I am astonished at the size of the proposed bridge crossing the A38 – with a length in excess of 300 yards, from the first step to the final exit of the crossing.

Worcestershire County Council states the £6.23million cost is necessary to facilitate the cycling and walking routes as defined by Highways England. I dispute this claim, as our action group, using an FOI request, has established there is no travel data traced to the proposed bridge!

The group has produced a response document, using where appropriate further FOIs which are extremely damming.

Coun Amos and the major products team, have not returned any calls from the group and have declined a site meeting – this would have enabled the action group to raise serious concerns and to illustrate their suggested improvement to the current crossing, thus saving £6million for use elsewhere eg Charford Road / Stoke road crossing favoured by a majority of local residents




I believe they have ignored our democratic rights and should be ashamed of themselves.

I will briefly mention the small bridge being built at tremendous cost at the junction of Charford Road and Harvington Road.


The huge lorries that delivered via Harvington Road, created for themselves a huge area – now combined into Harvington Road it is larger in width than local roads.

Its purpose is a link to the proposed bridge. If the data for the bridge is lacking in accurate data, what use is this Charford construction after destroying some incredible trees? We need an FOI to look at the cost.

We can judge the competence of major projects by examining Scheme 4 – A448 near Blackwood Road.

The new toucan crossing was designed with a natural desire line from Fordhouse Road to Blackwood Road.

It has changed with the toucan crossing moved across Fordhouse Road and easterly towards the Slideslow island.

The final scheme no longer follows natural desire line. Most people would appear to use the original design line to cross into Blackwood Road. The change I believe was due to sewers accidently being dug up.

I invite all district councillors to meet our team and see the potential damage that could be done, and read our response document.

I believe the bridge and other by-pass locations if adopted will ultimately affect all wards and yourselves.

Please come and talk to residents who need a democratic input!

RP Hipkins

Bromsgrove

 

Will be nice to have alternative to fireworks

I DO enjoy firework displays and the event at Sanders Park has been a regular in our family’s annual calendar.

However the decision to change to illuminations, I feel is prudent considering we don’t know what will be happening come November.

I am perfectly happy to have a change and enjoy alternatives.

It may well be just as much fun and after all I am sure fireworks will return another year.

Well done for coming up with an alternative plan.

Ann Sargison

 

Pandemic has hit the homeless the hardest

THERE is no question the pandemic has had a real impact on people’s mental health right across the country.

We’ve had the anxiety and uncertainty around the virus itself, coupled with isolating, being separated from loved ones and missing out on the daily interactions we probably took for granted before.

For people experiencing homelessness, all this has come on top of having nowhere to call home.

Working as part of a team of Clinical Psychologists at Crisis, I see first-hand how disproportionately people facing homelessness are affected by mental health issues. Many of these issues are linked to previous and devastating trauma and are only made worse by the circumstances they are forced to live in.

Part of our work at Crisis is to ensure our clients have the psychological support they need to establish a life away from homelessness. Keeping this going through the pandemic has been a real challenge and Crisis staff have been finding all sorts of creative solutions.

In the early days of the pandemic, our coaches worked rapidly to provide phones, tablets, laptops and data to our clients who needed it and adapted our services, including our psychological support, so we could provide a continued lifeline over the phone and online.

With lockdown and restrictions now eased, it is a relief for our clients to feel less of the added mental pressure we’ve had from the circumstances of the last year and for face-to-face support to be more of an option again.

Whether in person or online, all our work is only made possible by the fantastic people and organisations who support us, meaning we can continue to help people across the country to leave homelessness behind for good.

On behalf of Crisis and the thousands of people we support each year, we would particularly like to thank the players of People’s Postcode Lottery, in the West Midlands and elsewhere, who have helped fund the vital work of our Clinical Psychologists in such difficult times.

Peter Oakes,

Lead Clinical Psychologist

Crisis

 

EDITOR’S COMMENT

IT IS fantastic news that a group of experts has been compiled to work on bringing back Bromsgrove’s Artrix for its intended purpose.

The news of it ceasing trading was devastating to artists of all genres and audiences alike.

The space has played a key role in the Covid-19 vaccination programme but needs to be back where it belongs.

The performers and audiences need the space back and there are enough knowledgeable and talented people willing to work together to make it a success.

 

We welcome your letters…..

What pressing issues do you feel need addressing in Droitwich and Bromsgrove? Send us your views to [email protected]

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