COUNCIL OPINION

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MODERN DAY DICK TURPINS
After many years of contact with the Council on road safety I have yet to receive any common sense response to any matters that I have raised. All correspondence having now ceased. This is due to them being unable to justify their existance and having no factual or accepatable answers to problems pointed out to them. We now have a new road safety partnership with a new manager but no one in total control of the whole organization.

This just sums up what Derbyshire has to contend with when no one can be held responsible for poor results or the ineffective operations they deploy. They now have "free rein" to operate as they see fit and use covert camera vehicles and disregard all and every regulation relating to operating speed detection equipment. They are also employing civilian staff to operate these cameras and road policing is fast being moved into history, they are no better than muggers and need prosecuting themselves.

The reduction figures in RTCs they claim are blown out of all proportion when analysed and taken apart. The TRL states a 6% reduction for building safer vehicles,add to this a 3% reduction for better driving and out of a claimed 19% reduction over a 5 year period (police statement) it would look more realistic and reflect a failure of camera operations and those who advocate and operate them. Derbyshire claims a reduction in RTCs but a rise in fatalities. This converts to less chance of being involved but more chance of being killed. What a claim that is for cameras (and those who operate them).

All at the Council now refuses to correspond on "any matters" brought to their attention and would convey that they do not have the answers to anything which is put to them. On reducing speed limits they even disregard the objections and advice given by the police and install lower limits that cannot be enforced. Last year one Councillor stated he would consult his advisors and contact me later on one matter but I am still awaiting any response to my letters of concern. I am advised that the Council is democratic in its actions but when asked why a few hundred can request all kinds of speed humps etc, and receive these without failure but, when 9,000 sign a petition for their removal it is rejected (this being democracy at work).

Council has installed a new recycle facility but on arrival I was infromed that I could only dispose of two x 25 Kg bags of rubble. This meant a trip to the otherside of town to dispose of two out of four bags. I contacted the appropriate Councillor on this matter but have not yet had any response, so, I have to either make an extra journey (more pollution), place it into my bin in small quantities or, become a flytipper. I have yet to find out which. While no response is forthcoming on any and all matters shows that they are at a loss find any factual answers and to justfify their positions (and pensions) and, one of the reasons for such high rates.

The above would convey the calibre of those in office and the useless shower they are. We now find ourselves with a police force which is on a par with the Council and is also reluctant to correspond on matters of concern although one must remember that they are both "partners" in road safety and related areas. They, as with the Council, expect the public to conform to regulations and yet condone the use of covert camera vehicles which are under their control and command. This is no better than robbing drivers and not being prosecuted for their actions. How do they expect any respect from drivers when such actions are being operated?

The Chief Constable stated that he was reducing his traffic section ealier this year and in October again stated that it was being reduced. This will soon put any road policing into history and the reliance on mugging will be the only form of any road policing left (carried out by civillians with no one in total command). The police are evasive on any matters put to them and many have given unaccepatble answers to matters raised and once again questions the calibre of those in office.

They are also implimenting lower speed limits without considering any objections they receive. This is against the law. I cannot conclude which are the worst between the two but no doubt matters will only deteriorate and is a reflection on those who profess to know better and have all the answers. I advise all to access the Councils papers on the Cabinet meetings held at Matlock and extract just what is transpiring in Derbyshire. These can be obtained at any library. Alienated

COUNCIL DETERMINED TO DESTROY
Why is it, when anything is aesthetically pleasing, Derby City Council has an overwhelming urge to destroy it? After the arid appearance of the Market Place with its ugly waterfall and even uglier Assembly Rooms facade, it is a pleasure to come upon this pleasant little oasis in the midst of all the chaos there is in Derby city centre. I often used to sit there early on summer mornings while waiting for a bus to work and always found it a calm and peaceful spot.

And let us not forget what it replaced. Derby citizens and visitors suffered the "hole in the ground" eyesore for an unacceptable length of time. Who is to say that this arts centre will not go the same way as whatever building it was, that was aborted before it was hardly begun and left Derby ratepayers, no doubt, with the task of footing the bill for the filling in of the underpass and the clearance of the site?

Since the 1970s I have watched my home town battered and demolished as if a horde of vandals had descended upon it. And while it is too late for all those lovely old buildings that have been destroyed in the name of progress, I urge you to use your influence to protect something that replaced ugliness and is well worth preserving. S A Bostock

QUAD NOT NEEDED
What does the city council think it is playing at in even considering spending millions on something that the public doesn't want to see? I am, of course, talking about Quad. Not only is the design a joke but also it will apparently be painted in garish colours to make it stick out even more like a proverbial sore thumb. The whole sorry package is then to be dumped on to the lovely green and open memorial gardens.

Personally I would prefer to see the "hole in the ground" back. But then, when you see the fountain in the Market Place and the car park on Traffic Street, you realise that the council does have an unfortunate habit of getting things desperately wrong. I personally think money would be better spent on more public lavatories (no, not the waterfall).

The city needs many more to cope with the ever increasing proliferation of pubs and clubs, and ones that remain open 24 hours seven days a week and are cleaned and policed regularly. Derby really doesn't want this unnecessary monstrosity called Quad. Jon Bate

NO SOLUTION
Last summer resident of New Zealand Square had problems with groups of teenagers shouting late at night, jumping in people's hedges, telling younger children who live on the square that they couldn't play, and being rude to a few of the very elderly residents. After months of diary sheets and community watch visits the council came up with a solution for our problems. A youth worker for the area? a community centre? No.... A "No ball game" sign. The teenagers are obviously terrified by this and have no alternative but to uproot it whilst playing football, and then put it back when they have done.

Over the last couple of weeks the youngsters are back. One evening they were shouting until 10.30pm. This is a school night and they should be at home and not out waking younger children. Another evening at about 5pm we had 22 of them playing football and swearing at the younger children. When I called Mackworth Housing Office they said we need to fill in more diary sheets, but myself and three other neighbours do not want any more diary sheets. It took months last year to get the problem resolved and we don't want the same thing now.

A community watch van came out and he had to call the police as the teenagers were swearing and spitting at him and rocking his van. The sad fact is, there is nothing for these children to do. We have no community centre or youth club. If we lived in Normanton or Osmaston we would be better off, these areas get lots of funding and get regenerated all the time. What do we get? I have been told that they are going to re-cement the "No ball game" sign. So end of problem then? I think not! Anon