With reference to the letter regarding the roundabout at Bispham (The Gazette,
September 26) I have to agree the new
layout is causing congestion.
The tailbacks in every right hand lane –which is now the lane for straight on – are far worse than previously.
I also feel that it is only a matter of time
before an accident occurs, having
experienced a couple of near misses myself.
Traditionally at a roundabout with two lanes, the left hand lane would be for traffic going either left or straight on.
Now at Bispham, the left hand lane is only for those turning left. Unfortunately, anybody not familiar with the new layout does not know this. As a consequence they find themselves in the left hand lane when they want to carry straight on.
By the time they get to the road markings which indicate that it is a left turn only, it is too late and they then have to force themselves across a lane in order to get where they want to be.
Surely the council can find better things to spend taxpayers money on?
There is certainly more honking at
Bispham – perhaps that was the council's
objective!
Name and address supplied

Write in to support store plans
Once again Lidl is applying for
planning permission to build a store on
Devonshire Road.
It will be interesting to see this time, what reasons Blackpool Council
planning department will have to deny the local people the chance to shop in a good value store.
The area is, in the council's own words "deprived", and this store would
obviously be very helpful for people on low incomes.
But nowadays, with the credit crunch everyone needs to shop around.
It's been reasoned that having a store there will affect the new Talbot Gateway and deter a major supermarket chain from opening.
As if Lidl poses any serious threat to the big names.
The people that want Lidl will not shop in a more expensive store just because it is there.
Signing a petition is not good enough, it's just one piece of paper for the
planning department to ignore.
Write in individually. A mountain of protests is something they cannot
ignore.
Toni Williams
Peter Street
Blackpool


Swim concerns
With reference to the swimming pools debate, and as someone who swims at Palatine twice weekly, the comments of councillors Peter Callow and Tony Williams are disappointing.
Coun Williams states Palatine numbers are 20 per cent down on last year and it is not running at capacity! Has Coun Williams tried to swim at Palatine?
These days it is more like an obstacle course. Perhaps this is due to a recent closures at St George's and St Annes.
Coun Callow says
Gordon Marsden is
flogging a dead horse over his attempts to have St George's re opened.
Who, out of our local representatives, is truly looking out for the local swimmers?.
S Pennington
Wharfedale
Blackpool


Report waste in the gutter
In response to a letter about wheelie bin cleaners (The Gazette, September 29).
We have been operating a wheelie bin cleaning company covering most of Blackpool, Fylde and Preston for the past five years.
Our vans have won environmental awards and due to
hydraulic lifting system leave no mess.
We clean nearly 3,000 commercial and domestic bins a month and our customers love the
service. All bin cleaners are not the same and if you do see
someone pouring waste water into the gutter report them to your local council.
The more people who complain the more likely something will be done.
PETER & STEVE
West Coast Wheelie Wash
Burwood Drive
Blackpool
Hate crime show was enlightening
As members of the Blackpool
Senior Voices Forum, we were given the opportunity to attend the Hate Crime Event, which was supported by Blackpool Council Equality Team and the Blackpool Equality Forum. This was held at St John's Church on September 7 2008, and we were extremely glad we attended.
It gave us the chance to see a first rate theatrical workshop
enacting an example of how hate crime can grow and fester,
without anyone realising the
implications of their actions.
This is definitely an event which should be repeated, and would be especially effective in schools and other community venues, as it was so insightful.
Thanks are due to Blackpool Council and all those involved in the excellent organisation of the event.
Elsie Sadek & Rita Walsh
Annesley Avenue, Blackpool
Thanks for dancing cash
The organisers of the Fylde Folk Festival wish to thank all those who contributed so generously to the Morris Dance teams during the event.
They collected £145 which will help bring Morris Dance teams from other areas to the Fylde coast and keep our English dance traditions alive.
The dancers came from all over England to dance at our festival.
Shirley Lennie
The Fylde Folk Festival Committee,
Fleetwood