Our readers from across the borough give their weekly take on the biggest issues impacting Gedling and beyond.
Join the debate by sending your letter to letters@gedlingeye.co.uk . Please put ‘Letters’ in the subject line. You can also submit a letter by filling in the simple form below, and it may appear online.
Some letters refer to past correspondence which can be found by clicking HERE
Names and addresses will be withheld by request but must be included in the email. We reserve the right to edit letters. Letters published do not reflect the views of Gedling Eye
‘Politicians should stop arguing over who won Carlton cash’
Sir,
I’m embarrassed how our local politicians have been arguing over who got the money for Carlton. (‘Local people to get more say on where £20m regeneration cash aimed at revitalising Carlton will be spent’ – Gedling Eye 04/03)
Was it Tom Randall? Was it Michael Payne? Both parties then arguing on Facebook about who it was won by.
If they were grown up about it Mr Randall should congratulate Mr Payne on getting it paid and Mr Payne should congratulate Randall for getting the bid started. I am pleased with them both so stop rowing.
All us people care about in town is how it is spent and not who won it.
L Roberts,
Carlton
Thank you for town sculpture
I will not be popular for saying this but I actually would like to say thank you for the new sculpture in Arnold and well done to the artist on a nice piece of work and to the children who helped.
I was left very sad by the nasty remarks online by people saying it would be damaged and we should fix the roads instead – not all of us drive you know.
When things are done to improve the town people get angry; when nothing is done to improve our town, people get angry.
We should be more positive about our town.
I think it is a nice idea and it celebrates Arnold’s history and will make shoppers feel welcome when they come and visit the town.
Name and Address witheld by request
Do traffic patrols really take place?
Sir,
I’ve read your article on the supposed traffic patrols on Beaumaris Drive (“Council says 230 patrols ‘busting myth’ parking wardens are never out” – Gedling Eye 24/02). I live quite near the top of Beaumaris and I’ve never seen one warden.
I’ve seen the police monitoring the children coming out of school at 2.30pm and one even had to put his blue light on to gain access to the road due to cars being double parked. Some parents arrive as early as 2pm and sit with their engines running for 30 minutes.
I have attached a couple of photographs to show the reality of the traffic issues on Beaumaris Drive.
Margaret Stocks,
Gedling
Free bus travel would end traffic woes
Sir,
Everyone is fed up with Gedling’s traffic meltdown, and things can only get worse now bus fares have gone up.
Now that the £2 fare cap will increase to £3 will surely see even more people using their cars.
Vale Road is a nightmare!
The only way to reduce car use and to cut vehicle emissions is cheaper and better public transport.
Gedling borough has a fantastic network of railway stations, but train travel can be expensive. We need to see fares cut, and the frequency of trains increased at Burton Joyce and Carlton to make them a better option for commuting.
However, it is buses that are the best hope for reducing our daily logjam. And cheaper tickets increase bus use, reduce congestion, and make our borough greener and cleaner.
Rather than upping bus fares we should be moving to free bus travel for all. If buses were free for everyone then it wouldn’t just be pensioners leaving their car at home.
J Walters,
Colwick
‘Don’t blame elderly for problems of young people’
Sir,
I am a 75 year-old lady who has lived in Arnold all her life and I believe I am being a drain on this country according to some beliefs.
I would agree there are some my age that have not worked a day in their life some due to disabilities they have no control of and those who used every ailment possible to get out of work and have to say benefitting from all privileges available to them today, something I do not have due to working hard and going without to pay for a private pension.
There are so many in my generation like me who worked hard from the age of fifteen and because we did save and took out private pensions we still pay taxes.
There are also pensioners who worked hard in jobs that did not have the benefit of private pension but worked very hard and today struggle to eat a decent diet and keep warm. Also the taxes we paid all our lives paid towards education and NHS, which today’s generation benefit from. Our taxes also helped to pay off the national debt from the Second World War.
I say to the working generation think before you blame the senior citizens for what is wrong today. I would also like to state the women of my generation did not have the privilege of having 9 months off of work after giving birth, 6 weeks was all we had then back to work accept for those who lucky enough to afford not to work.
Christine Cassell,
Arnold
