Letters - March 5, 2018

Questions to answer over bridge repairs
Councillors and business owners celebrate the reopening of Harrowside BridgeCouncillors and business owners celebrate the reopening of Harrowside Bridge
Councillors and business owners celebrate the reopening of Harrowside Bridge

Am I the only one who thinks the council should be asked for a full report on the repair work carried out recently on Harrowside Bridge?

Coun Gillian Campbell stated that the bridge reopened seven weeks ahead of schedule (The Gazette, January 31). I really don’t understand how almost two months could be reclaimed from the timetable of a project that was originally scheduled to last about five months?

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Was there a monumental miscalculation in the original schedule?

Or has the council compromised on the extent of the repair work for some reason?

I do find it off that after the bridge repairs have been finished, we now have a weight restriction in place that was not there before. This is not progress.

The council appears to have been taken by surprise at the extent of the metal corrosion on Harrowside Bridge but I seem to recall a very comprehensive assessment of the state of Blackpool’s bridges was produced by Wilde Consultants Ltd in February 2015. In relation to Harrowside bridge it concluded that there was a “high probability that the steel reinforcements will have a high degree of corrosion”.

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At the time of publication, Wilde Consultants recommended that certain actions, including concrete repairs, should be undertaken “within the next two years”.

Did the council follow the consultants recommendations? Coun Fred Jackson needs to answer this. And, if not, did the lack of decisive action, in the two and half years after the consultant’s report, contribute further to the deterioration of the structure?

Alex Jackson

Westgate Road
St Annes

POLITICS

The Force is strong with this one...

To use a Star Wars analogy, the more the national tabloids (let’s refer to them as Darth Vadar) try to strike down Jeremy Corbyn (Obi Wan Kenobi), the stronger he shall become.

The general public, thanks to social media, can now see through these vile slurs made against our future Prime Minister.

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As Corbyn says himself, the tabloids have gone a little bit James Bond with their latest attempt to discredit him and have made themselves look very stupid in the process.

We can expect more attempts to portray Corbyn as a traitor/terrorist/antisemetic in the months/years to come ahead of the next General Election.

Whether it is in 2022 or before doesn’t matter, Corbyn will win that election and the right-wing media moguls trying to bring him down are actually furthering his cause by printing poisonous lies about him.

Thank goodness we are finally moving away from that noxious period of history when national newspapers could dictate public opinion with their own versions of the truth.

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The Daily Mail, the Daily Star, The Express and The Telegraph can carry on spewing hate and the rest of us will know that they are terrified of a world that won’t favour the filthy rich. My heart bleeds...

Harry Francis

Address supplied

EDUCATION

Will the snow-hit schools catch up?

A question to all your readers. Will all the schools that close down because of the weather, make up the lessons lost to the kids.

Will they have some catch-up time in the 13 weeks they have holiday, then the kids wont miss out on their education.

Any thoughts ?

Tom Miller

Grandad

CHARITY

Many thanks for 
fish fundrasier

I would like to thank Peter Wrigley of Harrold Rigbys fish restaurant on Waterloo Road for once again hosting a fish and chip supper. It is a great fundraiser for RSPCA Blackpool and North Lancs.

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All the monies raised, £256 in total, are for the local branch and are used solely for caring for local animals in need.

This occasion, because of Peter’s skills as caterer, quiz master and all round genial host, is now a biennial event. The staff also are wonderfully supportive, not only at these functions but also throughout the year, and it is only due to the generosity of people like this that we are able to support our wonderful state-of-the-art animal centre in Stalmine.

We are a local charity and raise our own funds, although we fly the RSPCA logo.

If anyone wishes to join our next event, it is always advertised in Peter’s restaurant and all comers are welcome.

Ann M. Turner

Honorary Branch Secretary
RSPCA