SIR – Council chiefs saying sorry over the mess that is the Ketch island isn’t enough.
It’s that simple.
And an internal investigation is insufficient. People investigating themselves, when eight million pounds of our money appears to have been wasted, simply doesn’t cut it.
Council chiefs must have okayed this expenditure. Okayed the designs. Okayed the contractors, the plans, the consultants.
We need an independent, public enquiry, which will certainly cost nowhere near what this lot have already wasted.
Travelling from Malvern or St John’s over Carrington Bridge to the new island provides exactly the same experience as before. A traffic jam.
It’s not just the poor design, safety concerns, and expenditure therefore.
It’s also the fact that there appears to be no difference to the traffic flow.
This is a huge error of judgment from council chiefs. A massive waste of money. And questionable decision making in awarding contracts.
We need to know the whole process that has been gone through here.
Who were the people involved? Who awarded contracts? How were they allocated? Who checked the designs? Who did the designs? What checks and balances were used.
Sorry is no use here. Neither is an internal investigation. This is far too serious.
RICHARD FARRELL-ADAMS
St John’s, Worcester

Fears for those with mental illness
SIR – The Worcester News has published two letters recently from a group called Citizens Commission on Human Rights (UK). Both letters were critical of mental health provision in this country, but included some spurious claims.
A quick search on the internet shows that this group was started by (and continues to be controlled by) the Church of Scientology. It is a Scientology front group that campaigns against psychiatry and psychiatrists, which it views as a competitor. The organisation holds that mental illness is not a medical disease.
The danger of publishing such letters is that people may believe this propaganda and those with mental health conditions may not seek the help and support they need.
MATTHEW JENKINS
Worcester

Need for railings along reservation
SIR – We have a set of traffic lights on the City Walls Road which hardly anyone uses. It appears that now a second set of traffic lights is waiting to be sanctioned.
If these lights are meant to keep pedestrians safe, can I suggest that they place railings all the way along the central reservation.
Pedestrians would then have to use the crossings and drivers would at last be able to drive along the road without having the constant worry about people crossing in front of them.
P CAFFREY
Bevere, Worcester

Playing fast and loose with original plan
SIR – I have just received my fourth, or is it fifth (I have lost count), letter from Malvern Hills District Council informing me of yet another change to the Lioncourt Homes Development that presently blights our once green and pleasant village.
It would appear that Lioncourt Homes are playing fast and loose with the original plan and God only knows what we will actually end up with.
The development was never needed in the first place, being extra to the National Plan. One can only guess at the consequences of building 120 houses on a field adjacent to Hatfield Brook, which can only adversely affect the volume of water flowing down it.
MHDC – you are as much use as a chocolate fireguard.
M C RANDALL
Kempsey
 
Why not tomorrow’s race results today?
SIR – In today’s paper you have printed horse racing cards for tomorrow’s race meetings instead of today’s.
There is a way you can improve your standing with punters in Worcester and beyond. If you can print tomorrow’s race cards, could you also print tomorrow’s results? I and many others would be grateful.
WILL PEARCE
Martley

Surely we should have seatbelts on buses?
SIR – I wonder why it is buses can get away with not having seat belts. Only the other day a woman I know was sat on a bus when suddenly it had to stop. She shot forward and banged her head, besides other bruises.

A G MACDONALD

Worcester

Removal of children’s play area is a disgrace
Sir - I have just heard from my wife that the council have just removed the children’s play area by our house, in Long Meadow, Warndon Villages.
What does our parish council tax go towards?
My little girl is very upset and so am I.
We have had no notice of this removal.
Worcester City Council like to promote our wonderful city as a great place to live work and enjoy the open spaces - then they do this to the next generation.
It is a disgrace!!
Mr Simon Sutton
Worcester