How tragically ironic that, on the dawn of the February 1 'Citizen' issue, featuring a front page headline 'Forty Foot Drain Petition Campaign' and a 'Public Platform' feature 'Nothing practical is being done to save lives on riverside road', another three lives are lost on that very road.

My heart goes out to the families of those people. Their deaths could possibly have been avoided.

Now are you going to do something about this treacherous stretch of road, Cambs County Council? Or how many more lives need to be lost before you deem it important enough to spend our money on?

The public is crying out to you – please do something about it.

Why, when the road was closed for re-surfacing late last year, were not the necessary safety features also put in place?

Some of the solid road edge markers were even replaced with flimsy thin plastic ones that bend in the wind; some even fell over within days of the re-opening of the road. Cheap-skates!

All this talk about it not being possible to put barriers up, yet, why then is there already a long stretch of barrier on the slight bend of the drain which has managed to withstand so called 'bank movement' for the last ( to my knowledge) four years without requiring maintenance work?

I have travelled that road frequently for the past four years and there has never been any works to those barriers. Explain please.

A local business has offered materials (free of charge) to CCC to enable a barrier system to be built. It was declined by CCC on the grounds of 'unsightly appearance'.

So what! Wouldn't we all prefer that, to the other option of more deaths on this road?

I frequently travel the London Circular, there are stretches on it with double white lines (no over-taking) and speed restrictions of 40mph. I have never witnessed anyone over-taking on those stretches.

It is so blatantly obvious to other drivers if someone does – that's why. Much more so than someone exceeding the limit, when none of us can really judge the speed that other person is doing.

How about starting with that kind of restriction on the Forty Foot Road? At least monitor its effectiveness.

After all, most of the accidents on that road have been due to people over-taking and hey, it won't cost CCC too much to paint a double white line and reduce the speed to 40mph, will it ?

It could make the difference between one more lost life or one saved. Wouldn't it be worth every penny?

Diane Holden,
Benwick Road, Doddington.


Very minor road is now a busy commuter route

ANY practical solutions to the dangers of the Ramsey Forty Foot road will never be perfect given that a very minor road is now a busy commuter route into Peterborough.

When the 50mph speed limit was introduced several years ago I wrote to the then chief Constable of Cambridgeshire and suggested that a more effective measure would have been to introduce double white lines near all the junctions, and the bend half-way along Forty Foot.

My impression is that most of the accidents occur at these locations. Drivers are much less inclined to cross double white lines than to speed.

The other major problem is the road carries a mix of cars and heavy goods vehicles.

If the road is wet and dirty, the HGVs throw up huge amounts of filth, which can completely obliterate a car driver's vision.

I would not be surprised if this has been a contributory factor to some of the accidents which have occurred.

I think that providing double white lines at danger points and banning HGVs over 3.5 tons in weight would significantly reduce the likelihood of accidents and, more importantly, could be introduced quickly and at little cost.

Dr David Laycock,
Rosemary Lane, Chatteris.


I remember the days of the town's 'No Cop Shop'

IT was interesting to read the story 'One Cop Shop' in the Citizen last week, telling us of a police presence in the March One Stop Shop.

It brought back memories of when we had a No Cop Shop here in Chatteris.

Over the last year our Chatteris force increased. We now have a community beat manager and a CPSO, but one of those has already acquired a part-time position in the Fenland @ Your Services One Stop Shop in Chatteris.

Most people call for more officers on the beat, however the authorities seem to want them in the One Stop Shops. Has local visual policing taken a new turn?

One can only wonder how long before we see council rent collectors or advisers situated in the police stations.

It's a funny old world.

R A Wenn,
Acre Fen, Chatteris.


Well done to the Neale Wade

Reading in the Citizen on Wednesday about changes in the GCSE set-up at the Neale Wade Community College, I totally support what they are doing.

My child goes there and I was at the meeting. I am satisfied with the decision for my child. I would hate to think of them struggling.

Well done Neale Wade.

A March Reader,
via e-mail, full name and address supplied.


'Loo-dicrous' situation for mums and tots

HOW many times have there been young babies and toddlers turned way with their parents from various stores and businesses, all because the parents have asked if there is a changing room, or could they possibly use the lavatory because their child needs their bottom changing?

Since the closure of the health clinic behind Somerfield in Wisbech, there is NOWHERE for a mother to take her child in private.

Having a stressful baby/toddler whilst doing one's shopping is not an easy task – especially when passers-by give you 'strange looks' and a dummy in the mouth is not the answer!

I can understand the store not being able to accommodate the mother and her child because of several Health and Safety issues, but PLEASE can the council take note that the public toilet in the Horsefair is not big enough to take a baby's buggy, plus the actual changing area is not wide enough.

There seems less compassion shown, especially to mothers and their babies in this town. When it comes to drivers who park illegally on the Market Place, they seem to be given more priority and get away with it.

I would appreciate any parent writing in response to my letter, so that eventually the 'powers-that-be' who sit and decide what is needed in this town get their priorities right for once!

A very disgruntled mum.