LETTERS: Readers get the hump over Stevenage double yellow lines

Double yellows are disaster for parking:

SIR - With reference to Rob Murray’s letter regarding the double yellow lines in The Paddocks opposite Hyde Green North, Stevenage. I agree there has been no consultation with any of the residents who live in the vicinity regarding the positioning of the yellow lines. I have no objections to the yellow lines being applied on either side of the entrance to Hyde Green North to aid visibility, but what is achieved by applying lines opposite the turning?

The response I received from the engineer from the council’s highway department was that it is to give a clear line of sight when exiting the junction. What does the opposite side of the road have to do with any vehicle turning out of Hyde Green North?

If the engineers are genuinely concerned about safety why have no lines been applied at the junction of Elm Walk? When trying to turn left or right from Elm Walk onto The Paddocks vehicles have to pull out to the middle of the road to see past the cars and vans that are parked either side of the junction.

As there is now only one parking space for six or seven houses we are being forced to park wherever we can affecting the whole area and not just our few houses.

Name and address supplied

*******************

SIR - Re the letter about parking in Shephall. Last week the council painted yet more double yellow lines along The Paddocks in Stevenage. This act is generating a lot of ill-will between residents.

Surely the council could allocate parking to the residents along there? Also as there seem to be so many cars - is it really necessary to have the bus route along there?

My granddaughter lives there, she has two young children, and often cannot park in front of her house to unload shopping. I do her garden, which had been left for years without attention and was full of rubbish, so spent most of last year taking rubbish to the tip. There’s still more to get rid of and therefore I need to park close to the house. Also I look after the children while she works and park across a neighbour’s driveway to drop them off, so come under fire from neighbours. Surely the council could make some of the verges into hard standing for parking to ease this problem?

Mrs. V.A. Eller

Stevenage

*******************

Lights please:

SIR - The Letchworth Gate filter lane that separates the northbound A1(M) slip road at junction 9 is not badly designed, the problem is due to the selfish impatient drivers who turn left off the slip road who cannot be bothered to use the filter lane, they do not have any regard for other people nor the road traffic act. I think the easiest solution to this avoidable problem is to install a single set of traffic lights immediately on the entrance to Letchworth Gate at the ‘no left turn’ point; these should then be timed to be on constant red whilst the slip road (not the actual filter lane) is on green, this would stop these impatient selfish drivers from turning left and also avoid causing the unnecessary delay to the law abiding drivers in the filter lane.

If a camera was also installed on these traffic lights it would take a picture of any offending vehicle that failed to stop at the red light, any driver caught would receive penalty points in addition to a fine being imposed; a very good deterrent I think.

The overall timing for this new set of traffic lights could be set to the current timings of the existing traffic lights on the roundabout to ensure continuity of traffic flow with perhaps the addition of a five second delay in changing to red after the roundabout lights change to red, this should give enough time for vehicles coming off the roundabout to enter Letchworth Gate. I think this would eliminate the whole problem.

John Wickham

Address supplied

*******************

SIR - It’s the Letchworth Gate left turn off the A1(M) again.

It’s not quite as simple as it seems. Correspondents in both lanes agree that there’s a design fault.

Because of the short distance, the give-way lines break down when drivers cut left from the straight-on lane. What about a test of reasonableness then? Yes, give way: but as I said, there is surely a cause-and-effect defence for those in turn-left lane: lane compliance, a recorded blackspot, quite likely the driver in the straight-on lane didn’t signal or entered the collision at speed. And because this junction does break down, I gather they are looking at a left turn prohibition for the straight-on lane. Meanwhile, let’s all take extra care.

Chris Jones

*******************

Wind worry:

SIR - So, plans for a turbine at Arlesey have been resubmitted.

I think wind turbines are beautiful, especially when I consider what they achieve.

But, wouldn’t a turbine be even more beautiful if it were owned by the local community, so that they would get all the benefits, financial as well as in terms of cheaper electricity (and hopes of ever so slightly preventing catastrophic climate change).

Would you prefer a turbine, or a frack well-head? (Sadly, if there is tight oil or shale gas under Arlesey you’ll probably get a well-head whether or not you have a turbine).

There are plenty of examples of local co-operatives owning and benefitting from renewable energy generation, including turbines.

Look at https://www.gov.uk/community-energy to see how to set one up. This is an example of what has been achieved already, http://www.bathcommunityenergy.co.uk/, and, more locally, https://www.facebook.com/guceltd

Residents of Weston, please note.

Peter Willcox

Bedford Road

Letchworth GC

*******************

School event:

SIR - We would be grateful for the Comet’s help to make contact with classmates from Letchworth Grammar School who were there from 1963 to 1970, with a view to a possible reunion this summer.

We have been in touch with Eric Macfarlane, who was our headmaster from 1968 to 1970, and hope he will be able to join us.

We can be contacted on lgsalumni@hotmail.co.uk

Janice Cross (nee Carpenter) and Rick Shepperson

*******************

Gone to pot:

SIR - After the long closure of Six Hills Way in Stevenage I am astounded that all the potholes that were there since last spring are still there. Since the opening of the road in December there are also some new and deep ones.

I have tried reporting this stretch of road to Herts Highways many times but it seems for whatever reason they do not seem to think that such a busy section of road is important for repairs.

I said last summer when the road was closed I wonder if the county council would think about making repairs when they could do so easily but they seem to have not bothered.

Looking at the appalling state of the roads in Stevenage in general I wonder if the powers that be in the county council think that Stevenage is low priority and if so why?

Dr Adrian Emery

The Paddocks

Stevenage

*******************

House future:

SIR - Mr Gardner’s letter of last week (January 16) reveals that Labour intends to build 100,000 houses over the next 20 years in North Herts. An astounding figure, what is the justification for a number of this size? This compares with a total of 55,300 dwellings (March 2011) for North Herts District Council as a whole.

When are we going to have an open and sensible public debate on this issue? Typically such information as is disclosed is contained in consultation documents running to thousands of pages with a legal but very tight timeframe over a holiday period (summer/Christmas).

We need a proper discussion between now and the next General Election with a meaningful disclosure/justification of what is planned by politicians of all parties. To this end such disclosure should be accompanied by a 2/3 page document detailing the main issues, accompanied by clear references to where supporting data/information can be found for those who wish to investigate particular points further.

This discussion needs to be across local authorities, rather than on an individual piecemeal basis. Clearly individual authorities may disagree with each other’s figures but it would allow the electorate and interested parties to determine the reasonableness of the proposals as a whole and individually and as to how/where the agreed development could take place, together with how the issue of adequate infrastructure is addressed and financed.

J Rigg

Graveley

*******************

Bright future:

SIR - Edward Selby got out of the bed on the wrong side (Comet letters January 16). To buck him up I suggest he visits any one of the local schools.

He will find them full of enthusiasm and optimism for the future. It is a pity he missed the John Henry Newman band playing carols in the entrance of a local supermarket for charity.

He could read last week’s letters about the excellent care and attention given to patients at the Lister A&E and celebrate that we have high class specialist medical treatments available. He could ponder that should he have a road accident that an air ambulance may come to his rescue. He might like to meet some the the local carers who offer dedicated and sensitive care no matter where in the world they come from to our elderly.

He might like to take a walk around the local area in complete safety to appreciate the well maintained parks and open spaces. He might even like to witness the morning rush as so many hardworking people get on with making their lives and those of their families better. He should rejoice that he and the rest of us have extensive rights that give us unparalleled freedoms. Naturally, he should continue to write and participate in the open democratic process of free speech which is regrettably absent from so much of the world. There is much that could be improved but much more to celebrate.

Nick Monk

Stevenage

*******************

Rising Sun:

SIR - As I pen this letter I sit luxuriating in the warmth of the glowing birch logs which welcome me to the joy of a country inn. I have feasted on tender steak and stilton pie –washed down of course with a suitable beverage. Around me are smiling faces and through the friendly laughter wafts the scent of flowers which remind me that spring is but a step away.

But stop. It cannot be. My friend The Comet, the crusader for our community, our guide to what’s going on, our sounding board on matters great and small, has told us that there is food for thought for eateries.”

With this in mind and remembering that “to err is human” I can hardly believe that my worthy hostelry is only graded 1 in the recent list compiled by The Comet using the Food Standard Agency hygiene ratings. But “NO” all is not what it seems. As can happen to the best made plans there is an error. The real mark is 5. The Rising Sun rightly has this in no small part due to the hard work of the landlords Nigel and Natalie and their excellent staff.

Ena Boylett

Address supplied

EDITOR’S COMMENT: In the Letchworth GC and Baldock edition of January 16 we incorrectly stated that the Rising Sun PH at Halls Green received a one star hygiene rating. We wish to make it clear that it was in fact given a five star rating and we apologise for any inconvenience that this error may have caused.