‘I’d look good if someone spent £13m on me’

STEVE BULLCOCK, St John’s Road, Barnsley

I agree wholeheartedly with Lib Dem Coun Steve Hunt’s observations and concerns regarding the new town centre bridge.

We understand that there’s nothing that can be done about the sky-high, extortionate costs (what’s done is done), as the bridge is built and looks good, but to be perfectly honest I would look good if somebody spent £13m on me.

It is pleasing to note the official opposition party in the town, the Liberal Democrats, robustly challenged the council on this and other issues, for example the lack of thought into local safety before the footbridge was opened.

The result?

Chaotic scenes on matchdays, with people trying to navigate across numerous traffic lanes going to the football and returning after the match.

The council spokesperson states the council ‘have always been committed to crowd safety’ and this is pleasing to hear.

I just hope that the red and white plastic Lego-style blocks at the Oakwell end of the bridge are not a permanent feature and are only temporary safety measures.

As an observer, the blocks do not really blend well next to a £13m bridge but accept they are probably temporary.

This brings me nicely to another subject: if there is ‘Levelling

Up’ money washing around the town hall coffers, and if we can spend £13m of public money on a footbridge, how about spending on improvements that a large percentage of the population will feel and see?

We need to tackle and resolve – once and for all – fly-tipping which has blighted the predominantly residential Kingstone, Central and Old Town wards.

We need to fund a programme to remove graffiti and tags from ALL street furniture.

Perhaps even some council-sponsored hanging baskets wouldn’t look out of place (just like at Town End Roundabout) as this may increase business investment and encourage entrepreneurs, subsequently increasing business rate income.

Sheffield Road needs tidying up, as do Upper New Street and Wellington Street, and we need to breathe life into Cheapside, bringing to life neglected, empty buildings as there are too many vacant business premises.