We owe a great debt to brave suffragettes of the 20th century
AS an active member of Stockport Amnesty Group, I was delighted to see Stockport MP Ann Coffey celebrating the 100th anniversary of votes for women in the February 14 edition on the Stockport Express.
We owe a great debt to the suffragettes of the early 20th century who campaigned for the right to vote, which is now enshrined in article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
I would like to draw the attention of your readers to Amnesty International’s ‘Suffragette Spirit’ campaign, which celebrates the centenary of women’s suffrage by showcasing the incredible campaigning work being carried out by women up and down the country today.
Amnesty is inviting people across the UK to nominate women who they feel have made an outstanding contribution to defending human rights in their local area.
Readers of the Stockport Express are invited to make their nominations by logging in to a special new website www.amnesty.org.uk/ suffragettespirit
Across the world there are many women who are forced to work under dangerous regimes or in areas of conflict.
One example is lawyer Azza Soliman, who speaks out for victims of torture, domestic abuse and rape in Egypt.
Labelled as a spy and a threat to national security, she was recently arrested, has been banned from travel, had her assets frozen and could face time in prison.
Amnesty demands these charges are dropped immediately.
In supporting our campaign readers will be helping to ensure that, one day, brave women like Azza will no longer need to fear for their safety. Helen Robertshaw, chair Stockport Amnesty Group
THEY ARE NOT GOOD SPORTS
THE building of the Vale View School was against the town plan.
The go-ahead was only given for this to be built on a recreation ground/playing field if circa £650,000 was spent on replacement sporting facilities for the use of local people.
These, according to the Sport England planning condition, had to be built before the school opened in 2011. Where are they?
I keep asking and asking Stockport council and they say I am ‘vexatious’ to raise this matter with them. Why? And why are they cheating the people of North Reddish?
I have asked Councillor Kate Butler to look into this and I shall keep you updated as to the outcome. Sheila Olive Address supplied
PEOPLE NEED GREEN SPACE
COUNCILLOR LewisBooth says that he speaks for the residents of Hazel Grove ‘village’, well he doesn’t speak for me or many others in his support for building new roads that destroy our precious, little remaining greenery.
He mocks the ‘think of the children brigade’ but the children and indeed all people benefit from green areas as they are vital for maintaining physical and mental health.
People need tranquil beautiful areas to escape to in today’s busy lives.
In the upcoming local elections in May I trust that voters will vote accordingly and remind councillors that they work for us.
The delayed part of the link to the airport has already caused flooding in the area, destroyed mature woodland and displaced wildlife.
The scheme is expensive in both cost financially and to the environment.
As for the additional new link to Bredbury, new bypasses do not work as they just push the problem of traffic further down the road.
Does he really think that the junction at Sainsburys can cope with any more traffic as it is already a bottleneck?
The new road proposed would open up the area to even more traffic from North Manchester as a possible route to the airport by avoiding Stockport.
New roads end up being full again very quickly so the greenery lost is all for no benefit.
Alderley Edge is still full of traffic despite the bypass and as for the A34 in Newbury it’s often gridlocked despite the huge impact that had on the surrounding area.
If Hazel Grove high street was to be pedestrianised I could see the benefit of the bypass for locals but we will end up with a full A6 and a full bypass.
If Stockport council are serious about tackling traffic they need to fully utilise the park and ride joke in the Grove.
Only three express buses leave the park and ride into Manchester, at 6.32am, 7.02am and 7.30am.
Many more buses at peak time should be express to encourage people use the bus, which after all is much cheaper than the train.
People are reluctant to use the bus because it takes so long to get into Manchester.
When will the council realise that dedicated bus lanes are part of the answer to congestion problems in the area?
The council is still thinking in terms of old fashioned ideas that the car is king, many people do need their car for work but many would much prefer public transport if it is cheap, fast and reliable.
Many cities across the world have innovative ideas with mass transit.
Stockport could lead the way in the north west and join them.
When will the council start thinking outside the box and come up
with a solution that reduces gridlock and saves the little countryside we have left? Tracey Lancaster Hazel Grove
OBJECTORS WERE IGNORED
REGARDING the letter from Councillor Julian Lewis–Booth, Stockport Express February 21.
Councillor LewisBooth states in the Stockport Express that the stalled A6 MARR bypass is ‘one of the largest civil engineering projects in the country’.
Why on earth has financial responsibility for such a project been put on the shoulders of Greater Manchester council taxpayers?
He also claims its environmental credentials.
It is unlikely to comply with air quality laws when it opens and the former chief executive of Stockport council, Eamonn Boylan, admitted in writing that unless it does it can never open.
It pushes air contamination into areas such as High Lane and Disley and objectors from those areas were totally ignored in the planning process.
The pupils of the Queensgate school will suffer horrendous air pollution levels should it ever open.
I and others warned of the problems the road would face with flooding, great crested newts, large amounts of surplus soil etc years ago.
I was told I was wasting the valuable time of councillors and council officers.
Coun Lewis-Booth wants the road to press on to the M60.
I know the geological and flooding problems associated with that, but Coun Lewis-Booth won’t listen.
He should sort out the dog’s dinner that has been made of the A6 MARR first.
These bypasses are about the selfaggrandisement and vote winning tactics of lowly local councillors and the incompetence and arrogance of very highly paid council panjandrums promoted way above their abilities. Sheila Oliver Address supplied
FINANCE NO PART TO PLAY
I HAVE read your article about the children Ollie and Amelia Carroll and their rare disease in the Stockport Express, February 21, and feel deeply saddened by it and for the consequences of both the children and their parents.
As an ex-NHS governor, quite frankly I feel ashamed at the decision, which appears to be devoid of any feeling or conscience.
Surely if any drug, no matter what the cost, can prolong the life of a child, or in this case children, for any length of time this should be an essential element.
Let’s forget any NHS financial restraints, they have no part to play here.
Doctors have their oath to follow to prolong lives and unless there is no quality of life, life should be prolonged.
An essential criteria here and one that has obviously been overlooked.
For my part I’d love to help this family and would gladly offer my services, free of charge, in any forthcoming action. Gerry Whitwham Cheadle Heath