Letters - Wednesday, March 4, 2020

I write with reference to the ‘Jam Busters’ lead story (The Gazette, March 2), which certainly gives the impression that the £150m A585 Skippool to Windy Harbour new road is to go ahead (even though Transport Secretary Grant Shapps won’t be giving his decision until 6 April).

Well, maybe it will go ahead, but how many people are aware of the consequences?

Once the existing stretch of Garstang Road from Singleton traffic lights to Windy Harbour has been removed permanently, are Over Wyre residents aware of the devious zig zag route they will have to undertake in order to achieve access to the M55? Rather than save their journey time, it will inevitably add to it.

And how many are aware of the archaeological discoveries of national significance that have been made along the route of this new road? They were apparently found back in October, and there could well be more, but their existence has only been revealed by Highways England two weeks ago.

Close to the historic Singleton Hall, an enormous cutting is required in order to take this mini-motorway beneath Lodge Lane, whilst at Skippool two horrendously complex junctions are planned. The combined negative impact on our environment will be significant and terminal... the climate change issue halted Heathrow’s third runway; surely the same argument should be applied here.

If this fundamentally flawed scheme does go ahead as feared, Highways England’s own estimate of an average journey saving time is said to be just 90 seconds. The considerable upheaval and delays incurred during its construction will take many years to recover at that rate.

Highways England is hosting Information events at Wyre Civic Centre this Friday, March 6, from 12.30pm to 8pm and at Singleton Village Hall on Saturday, 7 March 10am to 6pm. Please attend!

J Bailie

via email

SOCIETY

Will bus passes follow TV licence?

I have just received notification today of a reduction in my state pension of three pounds a week.

This of course relates to the withdrawal of the free television licence for the over 75s.

This policy was set in motion by a previous Tory administration, one that Boris Johnson now pretends he was never a part of.

Luckily, attaining octogenarian status before then, thanks to Ted Heath’s Government from 37 years ago I will soon receive an extra 25p a week towards off setting this additional expenditure.

Should this policy be followed by withdrawal of pensioner bus passes, perhaps sitting at home watching TV. will be the only thing we can look forward to?

Denis Lee

Ashton

APPEAL

Don’t let us down on social care again

Social care is at breaking point.

The sector is a vital lifeline for millions, yet it has been deprioritised by successive governments and forced to survive on emergency cash injections whilst battling increasing workforce and funding pressures.

The public are rightfully exasperated, counting social care among their top two most urgent domestic policy issues for government to address.

With 79 per cent of older people worrying about affording decent care, government must meaningfully address social care reform once and for all, to give peace of mind to our ageing population.

Despite years of broken promises, our research shows the public are becoming more optimistic.

Trust in government to deliver on social care reform has increased by 7 per cent since the last general election. The upcoming Budget is an opportunity for government to reassure the public their trust is not misplaced.

A cross-party solution for sustainable reform is needed immediately.

Our Programme for Change, shaped by older people, sets out a tangible plan for reform.

Jane Ashcroft CBE

Chief Executive

of Anchor Hanover

ENVIRONMENT

Case for Heathrow was flawed

The Government has acted rightly by saying it will not support Heathrow’s appeal to the Supreme Court about the third runway.

As the Court of Appeal pointed out, the impact on climate change had not been properly assessed.

The case for Heathrow expansion was always flawed. It would have a detrimental effect on the north.

Claims that it would show Britain was “open for business” were absurd.

Air travel is damaging to the environment. Besides CO2 emissions, there are the less talked about effects of high level water vapour from contrails which act as a greenhouse gas.

Though this appears to deny us the thrill of watching Boris Johnson lie down in front of bulldozers, it is the right decision.

Roger

Backhouse

Address supplied