Letters - September 29, 2016

When we had the bus station (Talbot Road) it was literally a dump – dismal, a cold hole, open entrances at each end and so cold in winter someone’s frozen food shopping wouldn’t have defrosted left there!

Then passengers were always being intimidated by someone boozed up to the hilt, and nearly always a beggar asking for money going from one waiting passenger to another. It made you dread having to catch a bus or alight there.

A brand spanking new bus station would only end up the same because there’d be no security, it would be designed to supposedly counteract any concerns, but wouldn’t work and to be honest, I don’t miss having one.

Clifford Chambers

Ashton Road

Blackpool

TRANSPORT

Blackpool cannot be same as Manchester

I have two points to make in response to Mr Ellis’s letter about going to Manchester to see the tram system there (Your Say, Gazette, September 26).

Firstly, Manchester is a bigger city, and the track that is being put in place runs a lot further, offering a better transport system for passengers, whereas Blackpool’s track is no doubt less than a mile in length. Why would that benefit passengers?

Let the taxis have the business, or simply put a 
bus shuttle service in place. If it was to stretch further through the centre of Blackpool towards Poulton, that would be a different ball game.

Secondly, congestion on roads in the town centre are horrendous – where would the traffic go with the track in place? There is also a need to make more roads back to two way.

Name and address supplied

EUROPE

It’s time Remainers stopped whinging

Barry Freeman, whoever he is, seems to be delusional regarding Brexit (‘The numbers don’t add up on Hard Brexit’, Gazette, September 26).

The fact of the matter is that in the referendum on June 23, 2016 the British people were asked a very simple and unequivocal question “Remain or Leave?”.

This was to ensure that the public knew exactly what they were voting for, and it was agreed by all parties. The public voted leave, and if Mr Freeman is not sure what that means, I can enlighten him: “Remove oneself from, an association with, or participation in.”

I can also advise him that many people’s decision to leave has been taken over decades and not, as he incorrectly assumes, during the six-week campaign. I have seen Blackpool and the UK (apart from London) decline markedly over the last 40 years.

And as for democracy, the British people have given the British Government the mandate (approval) to leave (by definition) by a substantial margin – that is the democratic wish of the British people and must be endorsed in full.

Anything less than that would be grossly undemocratic.

It’s time Mr Freeman and his ilk accepted the will of the British public, accept the democratic referendum decision, and stopped whingeing.

G P Wildon

Penrose Avenue

Marton

CHARITY

Thanks to all you Great North runners

I am writing to offer my congratulations to all of the amazing runners who made the Great North Run such a huge success.

I especially want to say a massive well done and thank you to the 310 brave runners who ran in Team Diabetes UK. Their fund-raising efforts will help us to fund vital research, campaign on key issues, and offer education and support to more people who are living with diabetes.

Tens of thousands of people took part in the world famous run, which took in views of the iconic Tyne Bridge, the tilting Millennium Bridge and The Sage in Gateshead as part of the 13.1 mile route.

Diabetes is a serious condition but the right support at the right time helps people to manage it and live long, healthy lives.

Visit www.diabetes.org.uk/Fundraising-Events to see how you can get involved and raise vital funds for this fantastic cause.

Lara Dobson

Area Fund-raising Manager

Diabetes UK

CONFLICT

It’s time to speak out on ‘illegal’ war

It has now been acknowledged that a British drone was involved in the ‘accidental killing’ of 62 Syrian soldiers, accusations are being made that once again Britain is at risk of fighting an illegal war in the Middle East.

At the same time, former Prime Minster David Cameron has been slammed by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee for carrying out “an opportunistic policy of regime change in Libya” which has made matters worse, not better. Mr Cameron should be held to account.

The likes of former Labour MPs David Miliband and Neil Kinnock, who have made such a good standard of living out of being members of the Labour Party, should also be speaking out too instead of perpetually making criticism of Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters.

John Appleyard

via email