Readers' letters - August 3

Of course there is chaos on the roads and the prime reason is that too many of us have cars. In the past, you were lucky if any of your relations had one whilst the norm now is three per household and more often four.

Add to that Preston’s relentless march through its surrounding green belt (this also applies to most of Lancashire’s larger towns), exacerbating the problem.

Vicious circle!

Then of course let’s build several hundred more houses at Broughton where we were promised that when the by-pass came on stream we would regain peace and serenity. Broughton – where all the entrances and exits to the M6 and M55 are!

What congestion we have to look forward to.

The horror of Thursday last week, when one accident miles away caused such chaos, surely must make planners look deeper at the overall picture should something go wrong, especially as most of the traffic had to be diverted through Broughton.

Drivers themselves need to be looked at.

There have been many more crashes since the by-pass opened.

Speed was pretty impossible before due to congestion but goodness hasn’t it been made up for since?

What part of 20mph, Give Way or New Road Layout Ahead do many drivers not understand? Why is the A6 still being used as a through route?

What is the answer? No doubt I’ll be castigated but cars may have to be rationed? Not sure how and it isn’t really feasible but something has to be done and fast!

Open railway stations again along the north and west routes, with affordable fares for local journeys, and upgrade Blackpool Airport so visitors could fly to the resort.

New motorway junctions between 31, 32 and 33, without more house building on the resulting green pockets, could help. Close the cycle lanes up the A6 as most cyclists ride several abreast or on the pavement as it is. It would widen the road so drivers could overtake and keep traffic flowing.

Motorists who drive way below the speed limit are a problem too as they are holding everyone up, as is pavement parking.

I don’t suppose being stuck behind tractors will continue for much longer as there aren’t many fields going to be left up the A6.

It’s no use crying ‘NIMBY’ as we ourselves are part of the traffic problem. The combustion engine has a lot to answer for. A bridge over the Ribble would be a big ask for Preston as sadly it would be its death knell for sure.

And stop building so many houses! Just because a quota is not reached doesn’t mean it has to be carried out just to appease a set of figures. One size does not fit all. Who says we need more? Not the population of our county for sure. After all, they can see the once green and pleasant land disappearing at a rate of knots.

Christine Cross

via email

DOGS

Off-lead ban won’t work

I read with some disbelief a recent article concerning an extension of a ban on off-lead dogs in a nearby town.

I feel Blackpool Council is approaching this problem from the wrong direction.

I do not believe the problem of dog faeces is due to dogs off leads.

Sadly, in our society, there are a minority of irresponsible people. These people show their irresponsibility in many ways – driving, cycling, littering and, of course, dog ownership.

It is my belief that making all dog owners keep their dogs on a lead will NOT solve the problem of dog faeces not being picked up by their owners

In my experience, the biggest problem with dog mess is on our pavements and footpaths and I am sure that in these places the dogs ARE on leads.

We do not see lots of stray dogs wandering our streets making this mess – so they must be on leads.

The responsible dog owner will always pick up, wherever they are.

Obviously when their dog is off the lead, the responsible owner watches carefully and is always aware of where their dog is and will pick up as necessary.

As a pensioner, I would not be physically capable of giving my dog sufficient exercise for her needs if I have to keep her on a lead.

The imposition of compulsory leads would lead to some very unhealthy, sad dogs.

The new restrictions will only penalise the vast majority of responsible dog owners and their well behaved dogs – and still not solve the problem.

Felicity Davis

via email

wildlife

Cheeky visitors not deterred

I suspended a bird-feeder for the benefit of the blue and great tits in my garden, only to be thwarted by grey squirrels which took the lion’s share of the contents.

I was told that these rodents could be thwarted by suspending a hub cap above the feeder.

I duly went to the nearest scrapyard.

“What make?”, asked a dismantler carrying on dismantling.

I explained that it didn’t matter as it was only to foil grey squirrels that had been raiding

my bird feeder.

“Charlie”, he shouted to a nearby colleague.

“Find an’ ub-cap for this young man. Any sort– he only wants it to keep t’ squirrels off his nuts.”

For the record, the experiment was a failure.

The agility and ingenuity of the little grey blighters knows no bounds.

Perhaps this was the point where I decided that it was a good idea to let Mother Nature have her way.

Brian H Sheridan

Address supplied

energy

Anti-frackers aren’t terrorists

I’ve just read that a 14-year-old was referred to the terrorist reform programme, Prevent, for signing an online petition and attending protests against fracking.

Therefore if you’re anti-fracking, you’ll be seen as a potential terrorist.

This further shows the bias of the Government for this polluting, Victorian energy generating industry, whose profit can only be gained by giving companies tax breaks and not charging them for pollution caused.

Empathetic

reader