Blackett plan is not right up our Street

COUNCILLOR Cook (letters, Friday) backs the council’s move to close Blackett Street permanently, backing this crazy move and disrespecting the majority members of the public who are against the proposed closure to vehicles.

Regardless of what he says, taking the public disquiet with the proposal, aided by the bus companies who run this route having their say – and bear in mind these people have gone into the proposal in depth, working out costs, moving pollution from one area to another – this is just another example of the council riding roughshod over the electorate .

I and others had reservations over the closure of John Dobson Street, for which the council was responsible, for the building of a dual carriageway.

Now many years later the very wide road has been given over to cyclists and skate boarders.

I see this road infrequently used by the said proposed users, many choosing to stay on the bus lanes and of course ignoring the traffic lights.

Many times I have used a taxi to return home and the majority of drivers remark of the utter stupidity of the building of such a broad thoroughfare, only to close it to cars etc and give the space over to cyclists who in the main don’t use it.

Another bugbear is

Northumberland Street. No cycling notices but cyclists frequently ride down the street.

No stoppages, no arrests. If a car user was to drive on to the street he would be stopped and charged, camera footage used to prosecute them.

The council should use the street wardens they employed during the first lockdown to enforce the rules, as when I and others point out the prohibition of cycling on the street we are invited to “do one.”

I and many others wish we had people with business sense and acumen running our city instead of well-meaning amateurs.

Cassandra