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Regeneration of town incomplete

LITTLE sign remains of Calne’s industrial fame as the founder of a bacon curing process.

The Harris factory’s derelict processing plants (previously most of the town centre) were demolished in the 1980s/90s and replaced by: housing, a library, shops, and landscaped river banks with connecting bridge.

The Calne Project as it was called, put Calne back on the map and was endorsed by the Prince of Wales and later the Queen in person.

In 2001 a partial bypass between the A3102 North of Calne and the A4 West of Calne was constructed, providing an out-of-town solution to Calne’s restrictive town centre traffic system and diverting some longer distance traffic. Then investment stopped, but Calne remains obviously structurally incomplete. A fully functioning bypass for Calne needs to re-join the roads it leaves (A3102, A4.) There is currently a link road from A3102 North to A4 East for Hill’s Group landfill traffic, where a public highway is needed. An A4 West to A3102 South bypass would divert large volumes of traffic from the town centre and Silver Street. Silver Street is barely wide enough for two trucks to pass, does not feel safe for pedestrians and is often closed or restricted to maintain the many service pipes that run beneath it.

A Calne town centre modernisation plan exists, but does not seem to be funded. A town centre re-generation plan must include an in-town North - South traffic solution.

Oliver Rawle, The Green, Calne

Footpaths unsafe

During the last week for two days Queens Crescent in Chippenham was to be closed for resurfacing and I had a letter showing the proposed area to be resurfaced.

If what actually happened was two days work no wonder we get very little in the way of maintenance done.

The letter showed most of Queens Crescent to be resurfaced and the closure was to protect the workforce under health and safety reasons.

But only a small percentage had any work done after over 50 years after being built and many millions paid to Wiltshire Council by the tax payers, an element of which should be for road and footpath maintenance.

Perhaps it’s time somebody in a responsible position in Wiltshire Council came and viewed the whole of Queens Crescent estate having first taken off the blinkers so they can see the state of the roads, even after poor quality patching has taken place.

As contractors were quoting safety as part of the reason for the closure last week, we have to be careful every time we walk in the estate as the footpaths and roads in a lot of the area are unsafe to walk on, or to push a pushchair or pram.

Tony Fellenor, Farleigh Close, Chippenham

Climate education

Last Friday young people in Royal Wootton Bassett and Malmesbury joined millions around the world in boycotting their lessons. Instead they came together to demand real action on the climate emergency. I was proud to stand alongside them.

Earlier this year I proposed that Wiltshire Council recognise the climate emergency. Despite the opposition of the Conservative Leader, my proposal succeeded. Now we are working hard to turn those positive words into an urgent action plan for Wiltshire.

Education is important. Missing school is a serious matter. It is not something I would endorse normally. But these are not normal times.

Our young people know that education is important for their future. But without urgent action by all of us to stop climate change neither they, their children or our planet will have a future.

Dr Brian Mathew, Liberal Democrat Prospective MP for North Wiltshire & Wiltshire Councillor for Box & Colerne

No one is above law

And there we have it from the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land.

The action was illegal. Unanimous.

We are so used to inquiries that we are left wondering what was right and knowing what was wrong and unresolved. But this is a man who purported to be ‘King of the World’ believing that he alone is above the Law and having nothing but contempt for anyone blocking his way.

Let all who are in doubt think again and demand a referendum or peoples vote and hopefully the media will help in the education of what the European Union has really done for us and what it can do with the right MEP’s who wish to work together for the Common Good for all of the 28 states.

We as a country have so much to offer in the real reform of the European Union without resorting to skulduggery of the kind we have watched over the last few weeks when Boris was elected as leader in the Tory Party.

And note those who have been ‘sacked’ for daring to oppose him and have left to join the Liberal Democrats.

Mary Fallon, Parkfields, Chippenham, Wiltshire

Blame the parents

News item, 20 September 302 unplanned pregnancies!

This article started with the line “accidental pregnancies cost nearly £1m a year in Wiltshire.” It goes on to say that STIs have fallen, whilst HIV and Hep B and C have risen.

Firstly, except in extreme cases, there are no such things as accidental pregnancies! Education, and protection. Condoms and the pill are freely available and a lot less expensive than the alcohol that I suspect often plays a part in these careless pregnancies.

I agree with Cllr Hubbard about early education but hear no mention of this education starting at home?

As parents we all too often abandon our responsibilities when the subject becomes difficult or indeed if the parents are themselves from the generation of 20 years or so ago when very young pregnancies rocketed.

It is worrying that the more serious diseases are rising and it brings me to the Wales rugby star, Gareth Thomas this week reporting he has HIV. The topic of discussions is around not vilifying him, and quite rightly, but nothing is said about prevention.

How many years have we been told that with the correct protection sexual activity is quite safe even when HIV is present.

Parental responsibility, including the absent fathers, backed up by all those things that cost us all a great deal of money.

Mark Griffiths, Pavely Gardens, Hilperton

Make first aid skills a lesson in schools

You never know how you would act in an emergency, yet our actions could save a life.

This is why I think it’s fantastic that, after 10 years of campaigning by the British Red Cross, it will be compulsory for first aid skills to be taught in all state schools in England from 2020.

It’s an impactful way to give young people the confidence they need to help someone.

As parents, Ben and I are so thrilled our children will be able to learn these important skills so that they never feel completely helpless in an emergency situation.

It’s also a relief knowing that if anything were to happen to them in the future, more people might be able to help.

So many women I know, especially those weaning their babies, are terrified of the possibility of their child choking.

But children learning first aid could make all the difference if one of their younger siblings was choking at home.

This new legislation, however, is just for schools in England. At the moment teaching first aid in schools in the rest of the UK is optional.

We support the British Red Cross’s calls for it to become a compulsory part of the curriculum throughout the UK so all school children get the same chance to learn how to save a life.

Marina Fogle, Co-founder of the Bump Class, Host of The ParentHood podcast

Where are violent crime numbers?

My belief that a required and more robust approach to at least reduce violent crime is not being followed by senior officers in the police has been confirmed.

That seems to be the reality from reading Kier Pritchard’s letter in the Wilts Gazette & Herald as published on Thursday, 19 Sep 2019.

It is extremely disappointing that he quotes only percentages when he refers to knife crime which he knows mean very little on their own and then to state that a seven per cent increase in knife crime in Wiltshire for the year ending June 2019, compared to the previous year remains very stable is both alarming and virtually meaningless on a percentage basis.

Equally, to state that knife crime accounts for just 0.63 per cent of all recorded crime in Wiltshire during the same period has the same effect - for all we know that percentage figure might equate to hundreds of thousands of incidents.

Where are the numbers? His percentages are not reassuring and I get the impression that he is trying to hide the truth that knife crime, as in many parts of the UK, especially in the big cities, is out of control.

Although no mention was made in his column, he must know that most knife/violent crime is associated, allegedly, with the taking and dealing of illegal drugs particularly among many 16 to 24 year olds with their gang culture and ‘county line’ operations and the national media have a habit, and rightly so, of reporting these activities on a regular basis.

Taking and dealing in drugs (cannabis, cocaine etc) remains illegal in this country but police policy nationwide indicates that a ‘softly softly’ line has been followed and therein lies the problem and until a more proactive approach is undertaken with resources committed I fear this trend in knife crime and illegal drug taking will persist and Wiltshire will continue to become a less safe place to live and work.

It should be acknowledged by the Chief Constable that there is a problem with drugs and knife crime in this country including Wiltshire and I suggest that a more robust approach should be taken with reporting the facts.

Violent crime is a scourge of our times and it is getting worse so please inform us of how you are ensuring your force is tackling these most important and destructive issues.

Operation Sceptre is a start but I fear that unless illegal drug taking is given equal priority knife/violent crime will continue to be a heavy presence in our society.

Bob Griffiths, Shurnhold, Melksham

Childhood used to be carbon neutral

We saw numerous reports of the children taking a day off school to campaign against ‘climate change’.

Of all those children I would like to know how many will actually practice what they are trying to preach.

Will they now all recycle their smart phones and vow not to get another. Smart phones contain elements, some of which are mined in third world countries using methods which decimate the landscape and vegetation.

Or will they all go back and play on their games consoles after a hard day on their feet. Finally falling asleep in the early hours and leaving the multitude of electrical appliances on ‘standby’.

When I was their age I wasn’t taking days off school parading around cities, I was out in the countryside with my wellies and pen knife making dens. Not as exciting as what children get up to today but at least I was carbon neutral

Bob Giddens, West Ashton Road, Trowbridge

Prime Minister must go after lies told

Our Prime Minster, Boris Johnson, lied to the Queen and broke the law in a desperate attempt to prevent our democratically elected parliament from scrutinising his actions relating to the EU.

Hardly surprising given he is one of the people who left ‘the truth at home’ during the 2016 referendum campaign and who was also effectively accused of lying in an unprecedented intervention by the head of UK Statistics Authority during that campaign.

Indeed, it is worth noting that Johnson’s defence in the ongoing attempt to prosecute him for misconduct in public office for those 2016 lies relating to our EU membership has never been that he didn’t lie, but rather, that he was not acting in an official capacity whilst campaigning. It is also worth remembering that the lies told by Johnson and co in 2016 are the very reason why so many people in this country refuse to accept the referendum result as legitimate, something reinforced by the recent admission by Rees-Mogg that if another referendum were to be held, the Leave Campaign would lose. Johnson and his Government know that what they are doing is wrong Johnson should resign and article 50 should be revoked forthwith.

Adam Poole, Wroughton

Great care from RUH and others

My elderly mother was recently discharged from the RUH with no aftercare provision.

After a week of trying to cope I contacted Wiltshire Council and have been amazed at their response. Within a few hours an assessment was made and care provided by the reablement team.

This dedicated group of professionals works hard to get people back on their feet and remain independent in their own homes. I would like to publicly recognise the team for their wonderful efforts, along side the support from the Trowbridge Health Centre ,Cohens chemists and the many friends who have all helped mum back to health.

Andrew Tiley, Wiltshire

No recognition of Battle of Britain

It is with great disappointment that I note our annual service this year is described on St James church, Trowbridge, notice boards as a “Thanksgiving for the Royal Air Force” with no mention of the Battle of Britain.

To my mind the Battle of Britain Sunday service is sacrosanct since it recognises the achievements of those that fought in the air battle against tremendous odds and successfully defended our air space during the late summer and autumn of 1940; referred to by Sir Winston Churchill as “the few”; they remain to all of us to this day as “the few”.

Had “the few” not been successful in taking command of our skies then we would undoubtedly have been invaded by Nazi Germany and would have probably remained occupied to this day, the freedom and quality of life that we all enjoy and which many of us take for granted would have been quite different; the German language would have been imposed on us and we would have been forced to conform to the Nazi ideology and the German way of life. The Church of England would most probably have been abolished in a similar way that Judaism was suppressed.

It is entirely wrong that the church should decide that the Battle of Britain Sunday Service should be discontinued because they believe that it is no longer of any consequence.

Those young men and indeed women from many nations that fought to win this crucial battle in the air, on the ground and at sea deserve to be remembered for what they achieved and honoured in this way, this was undoubtedly the pivotal point of the Second World War that should be properly recognise.

Sqn Ldr Philip Lobb MBE, RAF VR(T) Retd

Opportunity missed

I read that the Bowyers site was going to be developed into yet more houses. When are the council going to give the people of Trowbridge something to be proud of. They have missed a golden opportunity to get the County town of Wiltshire back on the map as a place to visit by building proper leisure facilities that would draw people into the town. I visited the exhibition at the Civic centre on Tuesday afternoon and spoke with the representative for the developer and asked him what leisure facilities they planned to build there, he told me that they were going to build a gym and cafe’s. We already have 3 gyms within the town, do we really need another one.

I am a pensioner and we are always being told to stay active and have social interaction with other people. When the council closed Christy Miller it took this from many people of my age group.

Mr.R.A.Naish, Chalfont Close, Trowbridge