Letters - April 3, 2017

We were promised traffic would flow more easily at this mother of all bottlenecks.

Over the year or so since it’s been completed, the tailbacks and frustration levels are far worse than before the planners got their clumsy hands on the darned thing.

The only traffic flowing is the impatient squadron of drivers who use the ‘cut-you-up lanes’, which stretch for all of 100 or so yards and end in a game of ‘will they let me push into the queue again?’ and making the problems far worse.

It’s bad enough being stuck in the nightly car park with the engine overheating without some white van and his selfish chums, who were previously 200 yards behind you, trying to squeeze in front after overtaking all the stationary traffic.

An embarrassed wave and flashing hazard lights in gratitude don’t cut it.

I commute from Preston to the Fylde every day and it takes me as long to travel along the M55 and to get to Mile Lane as it does from there to the Shell garage.

No wonder drivers take their lives in their hands every evening by risking a U turn and cutting through Singleton.

I’d rather sever all my limbs than to be found agreeing with that chump Michael Gove (don’t get me started on the gullible falling for the great land of milk and honey Brexit con), but, as far as local roads are concerned, I and lots more of us have had enough of experts!

T Ithebarn

Via email

BREXIT

How will Blackpool face Brexit future?

Wednesday March 29, 2017 was the historic day Article 50 was triggered. What will the next two years of European trade negotiations bring for The UK? How will this effect Blackpool.

Speaking as a ‘remain’ voter, I think all the uncertainty during this ‘limbo’ period will be damaging for business economic growth. As a nation we are entering into very uncertain waters. UK investment or business expansion decisions could well be placed on hold or even scrapped as a result of all the speculation and ambiguity. In the same way would you board a plane or a ship with confidence if you had doubts about its condition.

Great Britain is a respected leader in commerce. Do the likes of the prime minister, the governor of the Bank of England and City business leaders really know what will happen over the next two years? My honest guess is they don’t know what will happen and are blind folded into a battle of ambitious negotiations.

Did the referendum voters really understand the economic complexities of Brexit? Or was it more of a vote on immigration etc? The referendum was a massive gamble for the Government and the British public. Experts, economists and the government will face a difficult few years ahead. Was the referendum decision taken as seriously as say Boris Johnson? Perhaps not. If you had tooth ache would you seek the advice of a car mechanic or a dental surgeon.

It’s my opinion that Britain will now face greater economic risks than the rest of EU. I hope Blackpool’s economic growth and sense of optimism continues in a positive way and does not fall victim to the inevitable butterfly effect of Brexit.

Stephen Pierre

Blackpool

BREXIT

Article 50 issues 
are solvable

Contrary to warnings we keep hearing, I believe that the chances of an exit deal under Article 50 are not all that bad now it has been triggered by Theresa May.

The problems are solvable as long as both sides adhere to a simple principle that Brexit should be an opportunity not for the EU to earn a quick euro or for the UK to dodge the direct costs to the EU that will result from its decision.

Terry Palmer

Via email

TERROR

Social media needs terror regulation

I hope Home Secretary Amber Rudd intends to carry out the veiled threat to introduce laws to force the social media giants to clean up their act.

It is an outrage that WhatsApp, owned by Facebook, prevents even its own technicians, let alone detectives, from reading messages such as those sent by Westminster terrorist Khalid Masood just minutes before the carnage he created.

It beats me why social media is not subject to the same regulatory regimes as the mainstream media, including newspaper publishers and broadcasters.

Brian Sheridan

Via email

OSBORNE

Was part time job
 an April fools?

I was thinking of getting a part-time job to boost my income.

I have a demanding full-time job so looking for something easy, doesn’t require too many hours, and no experience... how about editor of the London Evening Standard?

Sounds perfect for me.

Of course, I am joking.

And that is what I thought when I heard about George Osborne’s new job.

An early April Fool.

Were there really no other candidates who are genuine, experienced journalists?

Teddy

via email

BREXIT

Let’s ignore all the scaremongering

Now our country can do deals with 66 plus enterprising and powerful economies after leaving the nearly bankrupt club. It is unlikely that any one company will not keep the existing deals with Europe as they need our business also. So let us ignore the scaremongering which is harming our economy.

Hirsch

Via email