Relief road is not the answer!

IT is sad that so many Stockport councillors are living in the past.

They appear to ignore the information we now have about how important it is to retain our green spaces and habitats for all living things.

I am referring to the decision of Stockport Council to waste more public money on another investigation into building a dual carriageway through the beautiful Poise Brook and Goyt Valleys (the A6-M60 relief road).

They ignore also the wealth of evidence collected over many years throughout the world that new roads do not reduce congestion, but actually encourage more people to drive (even ones who had given up doing so because of congestion), a phenomenon identified first in 1925 and called induced traffic.

The trouble is that some councillors are not sharing this with their constituents and instead allow them to believe that once the valleys have been destroyed and their green spaces are gone, they will be free of congestion.

Why, however, do they believe that this road will buck the trend? Is the road a vote winner in local elections?

Another issue is that some of the same councillors who want the road also oppose building houses on green belt land.

Why is this? The problem is that once a road is built houses and industry will follow and with it more congestion and pollution.

There are many alternatives to building roads.

Surely it would be better to be remembered as the council who finally said no to this project and decided that green spaces are more important particularly for future generations.

Their achievement instead could be an integrated public transport system and a town friendly to walkers and cyclists.

We need a council looking to the future and not the past. Deborah Hind Bramhall

THANKS GOOD SAMARITAN

ON Saturday, December 2, I was careless enough to fall flat on my face in the Market Place in

Thirsk, North Yorkshire.

Immediately a young man rushed and took complete care of me, checking the damage to my face and asking me relevant questions about other injuries I might have, and even checked my pulse.

He then asked his partner to ring for an ambulance (there was a lot of blood).

I asked him where he was from and he said he lives in Reddish, which is only ‘up the road’ from Heaton Moor where I lived for years.

Sadly I never asked his name but I just hope he reads this letter so that I can thank him for being so kind and caring and to let him know I’m fine - no broken bones but sporting a very bruised face and 10 stitches!

You were a star, and I’m very grateful to you. Mo Penson Thirsk

WATER CREW WONDERFUL

I AM writing this note to tell you about the service I got from United Utilities.

I had just been widowed and the main drain at the back of my property was blocked.

There was an awful smell and I couldn’t do anything myself so I rang them and they said it would be five days.

Within 24 hours they were there.

It was an awfully cold night and it was wet and windy.

They were so concerned about me and they told me to go inside and keep warm and they would sort it, which they did.

So I just wanted to thank them.

So thank you, from a 75 year old widower. M Sheel Stockport