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Waste of money

SIGNS have been posted saying that many of the minor roads in Trowbridge will be restricted to 20mph - which is a sensible idea on the face of it.

Time and money will be used to promote this and when implemented assume road markings/signs to denote where the 20mph restrictions will be placed.

In reality what a waste, with councillors pontificating over meetings with this on the agenda, their so-called invaluable time, then more time to get organised.

Outcome: money wasted talking nonsense, workers employed to do the signage, the result no-one driving taking a blind bit of notice.

Why? Because the police cannot even keep the speed limit controlled on normal 30mph roads.

I walk along Wiltshire Drive each day and evenings with my dogs where you rarely see cars doing 30mph but with many racing through at dangerous speeds. In the evenings you hear the cars and motorbikes racing around the town and North Bradley.

In Avon and Somerset in 2017-2018 199,337 drivers were prosecuted for speeding, Thames Valley 131,401, Wilsthire a magnificent 1,191, it’s hard to believe we have the best drivers in the country.

So your council tax has gone up by an inflation busting 4% but look carefully and you will see the police have been given over 13% for having one of the worst detection rates in the country, obviously a low prosecution rate of speeding motorists, so why the increase.

If you go to the police station you will see a proliferation of police cars - they don’t like walking these days.

So is the extra money to buy top of the range BMW’s, Audi’s or Range Rovers in the hope they can get on Police Interceptors which is the only thing I think they might have use for.

Yes Wiltshire Council keep wasting our money on useless exercises whilst cutting down on funding on essential services, we must be lemmings to vote for you.

Tony Scott, Campion Drive, Trowbridge

Shame on an MP

I WAS pleased to see that this week MPs voted overwhelmingly for guidelines introducing LGBT-inclusive sex and relationship education in our schools.

As a gay man who attended both Abbeyfield and Derry Hill schools, I can testify that this has been woefully absent from our education system in the past.

This is about giving children an understanding that different types of relationships exist, and that people can identify and love in different ways. Would we pretend to our children that different religions and ethnicities don’t exist?

However, I was appalled to see that our MP James Gray was one of only 21 MPs to vote against this.

Mr Gray, can I ask what right you have to restrict our children from learning about real love?

Oliver Boaler, Manchester, (having grown up in Calne)

Rules are rules

IT WAS with much interest that I read in the Wiltshire Times of the complaint by three residents of Raleigh Court of the parking facilities for scooters.

On my visits to this complex I have been much impressed by the excellent standard of management and the friendly atmosphere.

However I have noticed that a few residents have had difficulty negotiating the corridors due to the scooters. The owners of the property have a legal duty to ensure the safety of the residents, bearing in mind the tragic accident at Grenfell Tower when 72 died, with difficulty of exits of the building being partly to blame.

The owners have made the correct decision to ensure residents are safe. The complainants have a simple answer to their problem - accept the ruling or move.

D Barnes, Newtown, Trowbridge

Hunt for heroes

THIS year we remember the great sacrifices made by so many Allied soldiers to prepare for and execute the D-Day Landings 75 years ago. To mark this anniversary, I am launching a special campaign #KeepTheMemoryAlive75 to discover British stories about the American soldiers based in this country in the run up to D-Day.

Inspired by the discovery of the little-known story of Tony Foulds and his lifelong memorial to the American Mi Amigo crew, I am calling on people across the UK to get in touch to share their own stories of the Americans who lived in their communities 75 years ago.

Almost every town and village in the United Kingdom has a story to tell about the American soldiers stationed here in the run up to D-Day.

It is such a privilege to hear about all the experiences those young Americans had in this country – the sacrifices they made and the very special friendships they formed with the British people they stood shoulder to shoulder with.

To mark this year’s special anniversary of D-Day, I am asking people across the UK to get in touch and share their stories of the American troops in their communities.

Together, we can keep their memories alive for each new generation to come.

In January 2018, BBC journalist Dan Walker bumped into an amazing man, Tony Foulds who for 75 years diligently maintained the U.S. Air Force Mi Amigo war memorial in Sheffield every day. Tony’s wish was for a flyover to honor the fallen. Six weeks later, the Embassy along with the U.S. Air Force, RAF and twelve thousand people in Sheffield made that wish come true. The amazing story proves that the sacrifice of those who served in World War II is still tangible today. It’s living history.

This campaign will seek to find living individuals who remember the seminal moment of the Special Relationship: D-Day and the American military presence in the UK during World War Two. We want to recognise them and tell their stories to the next generation.

Are there other unrecognised heroes out there? Are there other amazing stories to be told and shared?

We want to bring these stories alive, bring these people together and introduce them to the next generation.

We also want to honor those people in the UK like, Tony Foulds, who have stories to tell about their personal connections to the American military effort in Britain in World War Two.

How to get in touch: tweet: @USAmbUK or @USAinUK - #KeepTheMemoryAlive75; message: U.S. Embassy London; Facebook; call 0207 891 3809; email Reflond@state.gov; write to World War Two: Keep the Memory Alive at the London Embassy.

Ambassador Robert ‘Woody’ Johnson, US Embassy London, 33 Nine Elms Lane, London SW11 7US

Very short queue

YOU report (Wiltshire Times March 29) Wiltshire’s Cabinet member, Cllr Richard Clewer’s claim that “Towns are beating our doors down to take on ...assets and services.” Not quite. In most cases the deal seems to be that town councils take over from Wiltshire Council the costs and provision of various services, while the so-called ‘assets’ on offer are only ones that will not generate revenue.

In Calne Wiltshire Council owns 19 shops, several industrial units on Porte Marsh and our Heritage car park (for which the town council currently pays Wiltshire over £8000 p.a. to allow 2 hours free parking). But they won’t be devolving any of these ‘assets’ - which could help us offset the cost of providing the extra services.

I think Cllr Richard Clewer will find that the doors at County Hall are plenty sturdy enough to resist any town councillors beating on them, desperate to relieve Wiltshire of some of its liabilities.

Cllr John Boaler, Calne Central Ward (Labour), Woodland Park, Calne

Election is still on

VOTERS in Bradford South are due to go to the polls by June 6 to elect a new town councillor. However, if your article Councillor takes seat (Friday March 29) is to be believed, they need not bother.

In saying Paige Balas was confirmed to be taking the seat, your piece is incorrect, since she is simply a candidate. As it happens, democracy is alive and well in Bradford on Avon and the election will be going ahead. Four candidates have announced an intention to stand, including the Liberal Democrats’ Sarah Gibson.

I’m sure they will all very much be hoping that residents will turn out and vote on the day.

Katie Vigar, Chair, Bradford on Avon Liberal Democrats

The error in the article has been corrected and we apologise to Ms Balas for any embarrassment caused: Editor

Decorum, please

LIKE many local people I watched the results of last Wednesday night’s indicative votes on Brexit in Parliament with interest. Whilst many probably felt that the attempt to find a way ahead was inevitably doomed to failure, I suspect that a lot of us would agree that the backers of the indicative vote process at least had the wherewithal to try and find a solution, such has been the political impasse on how we should leave the EU.

It was incredibly disappointing, therefore, to see my local MP James Gray on television blustering, hectoring and attempting to talk over Sir Oliver Letwin following the outcome of the indicative votes. Whilst Mr Gray may not have agreed with the indicative vote process put forward by Sir Oliver, it does not excuse his behaviour.

Common courtesy, humility and respect for those with different views are virtues which Mr Gray and others would do well to heed if we are going to get out of this mess. His behaviour, and that of many of his colleagues, was embarrassing, childish and I felt ashamed to have him as my MP.

I do not think it is good enough to say that it’s just the way MPs behave in the House of Commons. Surely it is incumbent on all in the public eye to set an example on how to behave.

Julian Harbottle, Grittleton

A poor example

RECENTLY my wife and I thought we would enjoy the sunny spring weather by watching our grandson play football for Derry Hill v Worton & Cheverell at Market Lavington.

Everyone appeared to be enjoying the afternoon until midway through the second half one of the Worton & Cheverell supporters took it upon himself to question a decision by the volunteer linesman.

He did so in a confrontational manner and using foul and abusive language. He was asked to control himself by other supporters. Rather than take their advice, he became more verbally abusive, using obscene language and threatened physical abuse for the remainder of the match. This behaviour upset the other supporters, which included parents, grandparents and younger siblings.

The referee, who was associated to Worton & Cheverell, was aware of the situation and asked the abusive spectator to leave the touchline, which he refused to do. Bearing in mind that Worton & Cheverell will be aware of the disgraceful behaviourof one of their spectators, I sincerely hope the club impose a lengthy ban on the spectator involved.

This will enable decent people to watch their children play football without the threat of physical violence and having to tolerate obscenities.

Roger Watson, Address supplied

Bad for business

MARCH 29 was a sad day. Democracy has been seriously damaged and respect for our politicians trashed. I doubt whether our young people like my daughter will ever engage again. They just don’t want to know.

This uncertainly is so bad not just for business but for all of us personally making daily decisions. Is my job secure? Can we afford it go out to dinner on Saturday? Our family firm own the Martingate Centre in Corsham and I can tell our retailers and restaurants are being affected.

Coming out with a clean break and positive attitude going forward will not have the dire consequences we are being told. It will remove the endless uncertainty and saving £39,000,000,000 is a huge sum to help our famers and others directly affected in the short term. Things that matter to all of us in our daily lives are largely already agreed. Planes will fly, you will not have to move back from the Costa, the NHS will get its drugs, and you will able to drive to France with no hassle.

Another referendum is worth a try and may or may not provide an answer, but let’s get on with it. Either we just stay in if that’s the decision or get out clean. The decision is binary, one or the other. Parliament has dug us in a hole and there is no easy way out except by leaving now or letting the people decide.

Bill Hall, Martingate Centre, Corsham

Not democracy

STOPPING Brexit undermines democracy around the world. During the years I was an aid worker in Afghanistan (a failed state) and Pakistan (a semi failed state) I learned to value democracy. Democracy is the safety valve which prevents mob violence, as people expect the result of an election to be implemented.

In 2016 we had a referendum and people fairly expect its result to be implemented. We then had a general election in 2017 where the Conservative Party manifesto promised to leave the EU with or without a deal, while the Labour Party promised to respect the result of the referendum. Together these represented more than 82% of all votes cast.

If we fail to implement this decision we set the most appalling example, not merely to our children, but to states around the world which do not respect democracy and human rights. Aat this very moment there are an estimated one million people on the streets of Algeria protesting against President Bouteflika who has ruled the country for the past 20 years.

A month ago he promised not to stand in next month’s presidential election. However, now he has cancelled that election. The crowds, which so far have been peaceful, are shouting one simple message: ‘Leave means Leave’.

Clearly, whatever the British government says to President Bouteflika’s government, they will now simply reply “but people are also saying ‘Leave means Leave’ in your country”.

It is therefore essential the UK leaves the EU with or without a withdrawal agreement on April 12and THEN after leaving seeks to negotiate a free trade deal. It is vital that local MPs do not block this as the consequences of doing so will not simply undermine democracy in the UK but also across the world.

Dr Martin Parsons, Wick Lane, Devizes