Kids less safe after park’s gate reopen

DESPITE 71 per cent of the public rejecting the idea, Hull City Council is determined to invite traffic back into East Park.

Kids don’t play outside anymore for a reason: parents understand that if they allow it, there is a real possibility they may come to harm. While this may be an uncomfortable thing to contemplate, everyone knows it’s true.

So why does the Lib Dem-led council want to import traffic into East Park, given its status as one of very few completely safe inner-city green spaces? As well as protecting our kids, segregating vehicles also ensures disabled people – including blind and partially sighted people – can fully relax without worrying about dodging vehicles.

Some have pointed to accident statistics as justification. This is lazy reasoning. Pedestrian injuries and fatalities are reasonably low on the road where I live because families remain ultra-vigilant at all times. By staying fully alert to their surroundings, pedestrians (mostly) avoid injury and death. Does this mean my neighbourhood is “safe”?

We owe it to the over 10,000 children born in Hull since the start of the pandemic to safeguard the gains made since the gates were closed. These kids, who have never known traffic in East Park, are set to grow up in areas of the city that will only get more unpleasant as traffic volumes continue to increase, ironically forcing many born during successive lockdowns to spend much of their young, often impoverished lives staring at four walls and a phone screen.

So why aren’t we prioritising the mental and physical health needs of our youngest and most vulnerable citizens by simply investing in segregated parking for East Park? It is genuinely depressing that this is even a debate.

We haven’t heard anything about the East Park traffic plan for a while. This is probably because sign-off has been delayed until after the local elections. Once they are home and dry, despite what the vast majority wants, out-of-touch Lib Dem councillors will be happy to fling the gates open and watch the traffic come flooding in.

A Brady.

Community champion will be sadly missed

THIS week we sadly say goodbye to Mrs Milly Mannering, aged 91, of Hedon and long-time member of

the Royal British Legion, along with her late husband Dick.

Milly will be remembered for her fun, her willingness to join in all the activities at the club, and also her - I’ll give it a go - attitude.

Along with the late Margaret Towle, Wendy Rudd, plus many more, they were instrumental in the singing, dancing and dressing up for our various charity days. She was awarded by the branch chairman a medal for her continued efforts to collect for the Poppy Appeal, which spanned 50 years.

She will be sadly missed by

Legion members, and of course her family, and the community in our area. God bless you, Milly, and rest in peace.

Jacky Towers.