We have had two very serious incidents over recent weeks which prompt me to write.

(1) The hostage incident in Palestine shown on international news headlines for weeks.

(2) The terrible accident in Ramsey Forty Foot river which claimed the lives of a father and son. This, naturally, was covered in the local news media.

The people who volunteer to go to war stricken areas of the world know the risks involved. They know they risk being taken hostage. In fact the government duly informs them before they go.

That said, I applaud their contribution and sincerely believe they make a difference, benefitting the lives of innocent civilians.

Where is the voice on local issues? We moan about speed cameras, yet say nothing about the known risk to life along Ramsey Forty Foot. One death is enough.

Will it take a tragedy such as a bus full of passengers to force the hand on the council bank balance?

The late Coun Paul Skoulding regularly argued for a crash barrier along the Forty Foot. He even offered to raise the money himself!!

Is there anyone to take his place?

Suggestion: Transfer the money gained from speed camera fines to pay for the instalment of crash barriers along high risk roads. No doubt red tape will put a block on this.

Almost every year we lose a life in the Forty Foot river.

I choose to drive along the Forty Foot fully aware of the possible dangers – just as those held hostage in Palestine choose to go there.

Who will do something? Who will take action? Who prioritises the issues worthy of serious debate?

I hope by this letter in our local paper someone with the power to act will strive to bring about the instalment of crash barriers along the Forty Foot bank.

Before we have another tragedy.

John Bennett-Collins,
via-e-mail, full address supplied.


Roads a 'sheer disgrace' during severe weather

THROUGH the medium of your newspaper I would like to 'congratulate' the council on their service to the general public over the past few days keeping our roads safe during the severe weather conditions.

In plain simple terms – it was a sheer disgrace.

On Tuesday, December 27, every weather forecast predicted the Wisbech area would receive heavy snow and the temperatures would be as low as -5.

On Wednesday, December 28, this tradesman left his home at 4.30am with temperatures being -8 and, to his total disbelief, found no roads had been treated and conditions were far from ideal to provide the service to the local community.

However, later that morning, the gritters eventually saw the need for action – but, for reasons best known to themselves, many by-roads were never touched, which led to accidents even as late as Friday morning.

Such roads as Bowthorpe Road, Tavistock Road, Woodcote Park, Manor Gardens and Ashdale Park, to name but a few, were too dangerous even for walking.

The amazing situation is unbelievable when many times through our winter months we will find gritters out late afternoons on dry days gritting our roads because a sharp frost has been forecast for the following morning.

Here we had a situation of a crisis arising and someone sitting behind the office desk totally ignores it.

That person, who made this decision – whether it's a council or government official – needs to collect their P45 without delay.

Or they could find a number of tradesmen – like this one – withholding their direct debit payment without delay.

A very angry newsagent,
Name and address supplied.


Treat rail crossings with respect

RE the letter by Allan Sibley on the issue of level crossings and by all users, regardless of their location (Public Platform, December 21).

A matter of weeks ago, we had the most unfortunate deaths of two teenagers at Elsenham station in Essex.

Until a few years ago, I was a Revenue Protection Inspector in that area and some of the idiotic things you see adults and not just the kids do, not just at Elsenham either, were beyond a joke. When trying to advise them of safety aspects, we just got a mouthful of abuse and foul language.

Between Elsenham and Stansted Mountfichet, there is a foot crossing and many a time I have been on a train travelling in either direction, when some idiot has chanced dashing across in front when the train was travelling at high speed.

It wasn't too long back where a tractor driver was killed along Black Horse Drove when hit by a train travelling at about 80-85mph. While enquiries are still going on into the reason for this, I can recall travelling along this same section of track years ago.

I was checking tickets and the next I knew the train was braking sharply because the driver had slammed the emergency brakes on, the horn was continuously sounded and, as we got very close to a farm crossing, there was a dustcart, literally just getting over the crossing and the driver of this same dustcart putting two fingers up to the train driver and mouthing foul language.

A couple of months ago, I was told of a steam train that was supposed to be coming through from Norwich, so went to a level crossing near March to see it pass through, intending to get some pictures of it.

As I waited, I observed the red lights begin to flash and cars approaching, but NOT stopping. The drivers chose to ignore the signals and drove straight over the crossings, regardless of the barriers being down or even in the process of lowering.

One or two had very near-misses, because the drivers were just far too busy chatting on their mobiles as they crossed the level crossing. One train missed a car by a matter of seconds. At this same crossing there were several bunches of flowers following another recent fatality, but these car drivers still pleaded plain ignorance and drove over the crossing.

When level crossing gates are closed against the public, it is done in the interests of safety and should NEVER be ignored, no matter how much of a hurry you are in.

To the idiots who choose to ignore the lights, I have this warning. One day, you may NOT be so lucky, because trains cannot stop on a 5p piece. Who would your family blame for your ignorance, the railway?

Brian Baylis,
Sefton Avenue, Wisbech.