Which expert for road stats?

 

I read with interest the online article entitled 'Bids for 20mph Schemes Welcomed' (The Hunts Post 1/3/23).

It brought to mind the quote attributed to Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill - "The only statistics you can trust are those you falsified yourself”. 

Cllr Beckett, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council's highways and transport committee, brought forward the usual statistics of the death and misery we will stop if we reduce speed limits.

Which expert did he consult to produce the statistics he used to say that there will be a 60 per cent reduction in deaths and serious injury if the speed limit is dropped from 30mph to 20mph? 

Why doesn’t he go further and advocate the introduction of a man or woman employed to walk in front of cars and other vehicles with a red flag. Then his statistics will reflect nil deaths and nil injuries. 

Everyone with any sense wants a reduction in deaths and serious injuries on our roads. However, I would caution that bringing in blanket 20mph speed restrictions in our towns and villages will result in widespread ignoring of the 20mph limit.

If that is the case what enforcement will be done? The police do not have enough officers to deal with day-to-day crime investigation.

The other way will be to fit average speed cameras in every town and village to enforce the law.

My next question is who will pay the millions of pounds it will take to provide the equipment and staff to deal with the offenders.

It will be the very rate payers who now enthusiastically want a 20mph restriction who  will be the first ones to moan about the rise in their council tax to pay for these ill- thought-out schemes.

P Moores
St Neots


Report from the Huntingdonshire Philatelic Society

David Belton was the guest speaker on February 28 when he displayed 'The Isle of Man' stamps.

He started off by showing an engraving of the Isle of Man.  He then went on to various hand-stamped mail from the 1800s pre-stamp period and  the Victorian stamp period with the covers stamped with a penny red. 

He then showed examples of registered mail and military mail which  came from World War Two internment camps with had the 'opened by examiner' label attached.

When St Marks sub post office closed on June 30, a commemorative cover was issued and we were shown an example. He finished the first half  with a souvenir cover issued by the Castle Town Philatelic Society in 1977

The second half of the meeting concentrated on regional stamps. He displayed rough sketches of ideas for the first issue of 1958. He displayed a quarter sheet of the 3d deep lilac with a flaw. He then went on to decimal issues of July 7, 1971  including  examples of missing phosphors.

The next stamps were issued in July, 1973 and full sheets and booklet panes were shown  along with postage due labels.

This was a comprehensive display with the knowledge to go with it.

Our next meeting is on March 14, when our president will be displaying  'United Nations Part 2' from the Cambridge Collection.

We meet at the Hemingford Abbots Village Hall, PE28 9AH with the meetings starting at 7.15pm. 

New members always welcome. For further information contact: David Birkert on: 01480 468037.

David Birkert 

 

Rule changes for elections

With elections coming up in Cambridgeshire it’s vital we all spread the news that the government has changed the rules for how we vote.

From May, you must show photo ID at the polling station to cast your vote, so make sure you’re not caught out.

If you don’t have photo ID you can find details how to get this at: electoral commission.org.uk or you can apply for a postal vote.

The Electoral Reform Society has reported that more than two million people in the UK lack the types of ID the government are demanding.

Voter ID risks the very principle of free and fair elections. One voter being turned away is one too many.

If I turned up to vote and someone had used my ballot I’d certainly complain, but there were only 33 allegations of fraud out of more than 58 million votes cast in 2019 (the last time we all had a vote). www.electoral-reform.org.uk/campaigns/voter-id/].

Almost certainly more voters will be turned away than ever lost their vote to this incredibly rare crime.

Chris Hawes,
Beresford Road
CB6 3SG

 

Complaint about Spittals roundabout

To add to complaints about the team making decisions for Huntingdon's roads - have you ever been on the roundabout near Spittals?

As you approach from the Brampton direction onto the roundabout where 'left is to Peterborough' and 'right to Cambridge', they've changed the first lane to only turn left.

However, before that marking there's still the old arrow to indicate your can go in either first or second lane to go forwards.

I am very tempted to drive over there in the early morning with a can of spray paint to amend it myself. I've seen people make the mistake a few times and I can see why they do!

It gives me no confidence these roads are thought out properly, for instance, you still have the Sapley area near the popular McDonald's and Tesco as pothole central (in every direction now), whilst they are making complicated and sometimes unwanted changes everywhere else.

Name and address supplied