Problems yes, but headline 'over the top'

Your headline for the recent St Ivo article which read 'Pupils in fear' etc does seem to be a bit over the top.

However, there does seem to be some problems with the behaviour of what is most probably a minority of pupils.

Very recently, someone I know who is an invigilator at the school during exam time told me that he was horrified to find that stones were being thrown at the windows of exam rooms.

Exams can be quite stressful without that.

Anyone familiar with HR law will know that dismissing an employee is not a simple matter, at least, with permanent staff, so please be a little more restrained with your articles.

Colin Saunderson

By email

 

What are the rules regarding cycling on paths?

I would like to comment on two issues reported recently in your newspaper.

Regarding the tragic incident of the cyclist on a path with a pedestrian, what are the rules about cycling on pavements?

I grew up with all cycling being on roads, but recent years have seen cycle routes going onto some paths.

It has become more regular when walking around Huntingdon paths to have a bicycle come up behind ringing its bell for you to get out of the way! Should fully-grown adults be cycling in paths?

Also, regarding the letter concerning Spittals Lane markings: yes, the road lane markings at Spittals roundabout when arriving from Brampton have been terrible for many months now.

The lanes approaching do not marry up with the lanes going across which is an accident waiting to happen. It is just good luck there haven’t been many so far.

Sam Galloway

By Email

 

Something needs to be done about pavements

Please, please can something be done about the increasingly dangerous pavements in Buckden? 

As an octogenarian who walks with the aid of a stick, I am afraid to walk in the village at night.

Is the county council following the recent Cambridge University study which suggests that all pavements should be turned into obstacle courses to improve residents’ fitness?

Terry  Hayward

Buckden

 

 

 

More responses for 20mph survey

 

I read recently that Cambridgeshire County Council’s highways department were proposing to lower speed limits around St Neots.

What is unknown to most residents, is that the county’s council’s highways survey has been issued to chosen people to answer their proposals.

I found out from someone who also received a monthly update from Longsands Academy highlighting this with the survey
attached.

It appears from the map (on which you cannot read the road names) all of St Neots and the surrounding areas will become 20mph.

Whilst I agree on this being implemented in the town and outside schools, it is ridiculous that roads like Priory Hill and the main road to the industrial estate are to be implemented.

The survey has not been carefully publicised to all residents in and around St Neots, but it appears only to parents of schoolchildren, who I envisage will welcome it.

Let's make it open to all residents to have their say and not just the carefully selected few.

It will cause gridlock at peak times on roads leading into town only aggravated by pedal cyclists who have no regard for the speed limit.

The survey is available by going to survey monkey.co.uk.

Mike Rawson
St Neots

 

Proper consultation needed for imposing speed limits 

I write in response to the letter from S Critcher which was published in The Hunts Post (15/3/23).

The letter seems to reflect what is going on in local councils around the country whereby the local politicians instigate public consultation and are surprised when the public has a counter view to their rigid dogma.

It doesn’t matter one iota what the public say, as we see time and time again, they have decided their course of action before any public consultation.

You only have to follow the events in London with Mayor Kahn or Oxford council with their steamrolling of public opinion to put through projects the majority of their constituents do not want.

I forecast the same will happen in Cambridgeshire - huge amounts of money we cannot afford will be spent on bringing in 20 mph speed restrictions in our towns and villages and there will be widespread civil disobedience.

If you look at Government statistics, the percentage for just cars and vans (light commercial vehicles) just over 50 per cent of drivers break the 30 mph speed restriction.

Official Government statistics for non-compliance of 20 mph speed restrictions shoots up to 87 per cent.

Which is damning evidence that the public do not want these restrictions and therefore ignore them.

To gain compliance, 20mph areas need to be intelligently deployed, such as outside schools during term time when pupils are arriving and departing. Not blanket restrictions.

The bigger menace to pedestrians is the scourge of e-scooters being ridden at high speed on our pavements.

I have witnessed one particular person riding an e-scooter on numerous occasions, at a speed along the pavement on the High Street in St Neots.

If a person exiting from a shop stepped in front of him, the impact would likely kill them.

P Moores
St Neots

 

Report from the Huntingdonshire Philatelic Society

At the meeting of the Society on March 14, our president showed  'United Nations part 2' from the Cambridge society collection.

This collection came from a member of the Cambridge society whose wife had donated it to the society when he died.

The display covered the years 1964-72, starting off with mint blocks of  the definitive issues. Next, came an air mail letter sent from New York to India.

Special folders of the stamps issued for the years 1965 and 1967 were  issued and we were shown both.

The first issue of the art series in 1967, featured a stained-glass memorial panel designed by Marc Chagall on the occasion of the third anniversary of the death of the former secretary general Hamm Arskjold.

Next came official photographs for release to the press of the stamps issued for Expo 67 held in Montreal followed by the air mail and world weather stamps issued in 1968.

A mobile philatelic exhibition of the United Nations postal administration European tour was held in Trafalgar Square in October 1966 and a special cover was issued for the event, which we were shown.

An interesting item was an invitation to a stamp auction of world stamps by the then secretary general. This was undelivered and returned intact to the sender on June 1, 1969.

Throughout the display, we were shown examples of the stamps issued, some being first day covers.

Our next meeting is on March 28 when John Spencer will display 'paddle steamer of the White Funnel line'.

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

New members are always welcome and for further information please contact David Birkert on: 01480 468037.

David Birkert