Waste of critical resources (From Western Telegraph)

Waste of critical resources

10:18am Monday 16th July 2012 in Letters

Dear Letters Page The County Council wanting to express its concerns to the police about the proposed closures of the Police Station in Fishguard? (Western Telegraph 27th June 12).

The same County Council which altered a Fishguard pavement so radically that it now requires police hours to ensure the safety of residents and pedestrians using it? And used monies from its 'Safe Routes in Communities' bid to create this now unsafe situation?

And Fishguard being represented at this meeting with the police by one of the two Fishguard councillors - who felt unable to take up concerns raised because she was 'striving to maintain a good working relationship' with the second councillor - against whom a code of conduct enquiry is currently under way pertaining to other highways matters nearby?

Councillors concerned about their 'lack of voice' in the police decision - and 'concern for the county's elderly population'? What hypocrasy when they refuse to 'hear the voice' of the town they represent, let alone show concern for Fishguard's own elderly - the residents who are now having to plot a safe route along a pavement that was formerly safe. Shame the council feels unable even to use a simple pot of paint to identify their computer-modelled 'golden passing spot' to avoid this waste of critical police resources.

The footpath on Penslade Fishguard has been widened to a width of 6ft 8ins - but only near its junction with West Street. In doing this, ithe Council removed 2ft 6ins from the roadway, making it impossible for a vehicle to stop here for lawful access without blocking the road, Vehicles have been forced to have to drive onto the footpath. It particularly affects delivery vans needing to load and unload as Penslade is a one-way street with a concrete wall and fence bounding the road on one side. Vans generally have only one side access door on their nearside and so need to park on the pavement to access their storage areas. The council says its computer shows there is a single spot which is wide enough for two vehicles to pass but no-one has yet been able to find it. ) V. J. Mellor Fishguard