Crack down on the lockdown sceptics
THE Government’s handling of the pandemic will most likely be debated for years to come.
But right now we are where we are and so Boris Johnson does not need the interference by his own MPS of the lockdown sceptic Covid Recovery Group (CRG).
Chaired by Mark Harper MP, they are now demanding a lifting of all legal restrictions in England by the end of April (“Raab rejects calls to end lockdown” – Post, February 15).
Nobody likes lockdowns, but this smacks of being irresponsible as how can the PM commit to a precise timetable even with the rollout of vaccines?
To put this another way – how long is a piece of string? Along with variants and other factors to consider, the Government is right at this stage to be cautious.
I cannot believe that this group are unaware of how things went badly wrong in the recent past when restrictions were not put in place quick enough or eased too soon. They must know that lockdowns and restrictions have worked in some countries. Also, that, unfortunately, we still have those that deliberately attend illegal parties and other large gatherings, thus jeopardising the health of our police and the nation’s recovery.
These MPS would be better served encouraging their constituents to be patient. They could seek more financial help where it is needed and speak out against those being dangerously selfish and help to ensure that the new airport hotel quarantining works. They could urge the wearing of face masks whenever we are out and about and to remind us to keep our distance.
I do not know if the CRG view face masks as a restriction but when you think about it, they are a commonsense health measure.
In short, the CRG could make themselves useful. If any of the CRG ringleaders hope to be PM one day, then this useful approach would I suggest look better on their CVS than meddling and trying to be clever during a deadly pandemic which is still claiming a large number of lives.
Mark Iles Newark on both sides of the Trent.
On the north side of the river this includes completion of the riverside path between Trent Bridge and Colwick Park (already planned and with some parts built), as well as improved links to and from the Eastern Cycle Corridor (Daleside Road and Manvers Street) and the city centre and Nottingham Station. The many “active travel” improvements being planned in the Island Quarter (between Manvers Street and London Road) will help further with this.
South of the Trent, the most important link is the riverside path between Lady Bay Bridge and The Hook. This has greatly deteriorated in recent years but the good news now is that the county council has recently allocated money for its repair which will do much to help make this very popular route more attractive and comfortable.
Some improved bridge connections may take much longer to plan and implement but it is vital that these include better routes to and from not only the Skylarks Nature Reserve and the Grantham Canal towpath but also the many major new housing developments planned in this part of Rushcliffe, to encourage cycle commuting. This includes upgrading the narrow shared path along the A52 between Gamston and Radcliffeon-trent which Mr Starbuck mentions as being basically the same as when it was only a pavement. Widening would also help social distancing by path users.
One of the similar bridge projects from which we have learned much in making the case for this bridge is the Diglis Bridge over the River Severn on the south side of Worcester, completed in 2010. Having visited that bridge and studied its experience we know that within a few years of opening it was being used by 15 times the number of people (walkers and cyclists) projected – hardly a “mere vanity project”. This clear success has now encouraged the councils there to build a similar new bridge on the north side of Worcester. With the same coordinated efforts we can repeat this success with our new bridge locally, especially now that there is so much more interest in promoting “active travel” more wholeheartedly!
Hugh Mcclintock Chair, Proposed Trent Basin-lady Bay Foot-cycle Bridge Steering Group West Bridgford