For Publication       Created 23-08-04, Revised 06-01-06, 11-02-07

A small selection of my letter printed generally in the local press. The date is that which the letter was sent it may have been edited if it was printed later.

Courier  24 August 1994 Wheelie bins Introduced
Courier 2 April 1996 Nesting birds at Barnetts Wood
Courier 03-97 CCTV
Stop the War Courier 16-02-03 Focal point
Radio 4's PM 11-11-01 - 9/11
A21 dualling adverse effect Courier 01-08-03 On Sherwood
Courier 02-12-03 Euro Debate
Courier 04-07-04  Making local democracy work
KM Extra 08-07-04 Bus passes and The cost of poor vehicle efficiency
Courier 11-07-04 (similar letter sent to KM Extra) All Kent Rail Rover poorly promoted
Courier 11-07-04 Bus Passes and bus information - not printed.
Courier 19-07-04 Follow up to poorly promoted Rail Rover - not printed.
Courier & KM Extra 15-08-04 Preparing for (or to have) Emergencies
Courier 22-08-04 Next Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
Troops should assist in Asia KM Extra 21-01-05
Uniting the two parts of St. Matts Schools printed KMExtra 18-03-05,
Clarification of the meaning of an advertisement. printer by km extra 04-03-06
Air Quality on the A26, Sent to the Courier 06-03-05, edited version was published 18-03-05
The real number of deaths due to roads v MRSA Sent to Kent on 20-04-05, printed 01-05-05
Would you trust Michael Howard. Sent to Courier and Radio 4's PM 20-04-05 not printed.
A26 Southborough to Tunbridge Wells has been declared an Air Quality Management Area,  Sent to KM Extra 08-05-05 I Gave an interview to KM FM on 10-05-05 then a well editied version of the letter was printed subsequently in KM Extra 20-05-05 
The lesson don't build, or plan roads it only encourages them. Sent 08-06-05 Published in the Courier vitually unedited 13-05-05.
Use of the old Ridgewaye School Gym by Ridgewaye Football Club, Sent to Courier & KMExtra 06-12-05 NEW
Recent crashes on A21 (Pembury bypass) Courier 02-02-07
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Courier  24 August 1994 Wheelie bins Introduced - It turned out that initially the increase in waste was more like 50%
Dear Sir,

At a cost of over £1.1M Tunbridge Wells residents are having wheelie bins imposed on them. This has already resulted in a reduction of pavement width in some roads where they have already been introduced, not because of parked cars, but wheelie bins on the pavement.

My own bin blew away in the high autumn winds a number of times, I eventually lost it altogether some years ago. For that reason I don't want the inconvenience of my road or pavement cluttered with bins blown everywhere.

Additionally because I compost, and take recyclables to the recycling bank. What is left is a carrier bag of rubbish every other week.

These large bins will attract more waste, as has happened else where. But that is alright for the Council because, at the time, 2 years ago when Tunbridge Wells Borough Council decided to go for wheelie bins, the council also published a recycling plan which committed it to do nothing. At the same time, I was told, the council will continue to work towards the Government target to recycle 25% of household waste, wheelie bins will do nothing towards that target.

Surely if you or I want a new bin we should purchase one. At £28 each who will profit from this wasteful idea?

Yours sincerely
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 Courier 2 April 1996 Nesting birds. - printed with photo.
Dear Sir,

I was disappointed to discover last week contractors started clearing wood, brambles, etc. in the area where 166 houses at Barnetts Wood are to be built.

Doubly so because this will be the start of the extra traffic caused during construction, and inconvenience with road junction improvements. But also sadly hearing the nesting birds flying around in distress as their nests and territories were being destroyed. A neighbour told me that the nesting birds include Long Tail Tits. These birds will loose their territory become egg bound and the older one's will die as they will be unable to find, at this stage, other territories.

I have written to High Weald Housing Association to inform them that birds are being disturbed during their reproduction cycle. This is most certainly contrary to European Union Directive "The Conservation of Wild Birds Directive", EC/79/049/2-3-1979. I have asked them what legal excuse their contractors have for proceeding with clearing and if there is none would they stop. My fear is that the destruction will have been completed by the time I have an answer.

Yours sincerely
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Courier 03-97 CCTV
Dear Sir,

This week I witnessed an on-the-beat cop see a boy, of say 8 years, on to a mid evening bus. I won’t say what the boy had been up to but he was well shaken having being caught doing it.

What he had been doing was naughty, he probably won’t do it again. This is what only on-the-beat policing can do, and cannot be done by a machine or surveillance camera.  This type of policing is what police are very well trained for, does not show up in statistics, and addresses common worries of people.

Yours sincerely
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Radio 4's PM 11-11-01 - 9/11 - not read.
Dear Sir,
Remembrance day has just passed but is the never again aspect being respected? All life is important the bombing during remembrance, muslim religious periods, and at any other time is wrong.

On the day of the terrorist bombing 11th of 9th month, a tragedy was reported in the UK that is 5 million children suffer from asthma presumably the highest yet? I think we should be remembering those who suffer by torture, oppression, war and terrorism. These are on going. Perhaps we should also consider all who's life, or liberty is taken before their time.

The bombing is to do with oil, but vehicle fumes lead to asthma, the bombing may therefore result in a double tragedy. It would be better to help the people such as of Afghanistan and leave the oil in the ground.

I travel to Turkey on 8th October the day the American bombing started, two 250 seat Aeroplanes travel together one with 15 passengers the other with 40. On the day before aid agencies advised that food should not be air dropped as some would land in mined areas, and there-by kill people.

So much evidence was claimed to exist so soon after the terrorist act in New York, I wonder if a comparison with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour and the belief that the US let it happen so they would be drawn in to the war can be drawn? Is the UK's involvement in the bombing due to a second world war debt to USA? If so the pay back is unreasonable.

--
Andrew H Lohmann
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Courier 04-07-04   Making local democracy work - Printed edited to just the second paragraph.
Dear Sir,

I could answer Ivan Armstrong's point in Courier of 2 July 2004, "politicians let politics down", with the old phrase "the electorate get the politicians they deserve". Having said that I think public, politicians, and the media all play part in making the status quo:- indifference to elections - TV - couch potato - home delivered pizza - foot ball and England is always in the right - and preference for food that looks perfect, though I wonder sometimes if worms and maggots won't touch it why should I?

Democracy only works well when scrutinised sensibly by the public, the continuing 284 Saturday bus service initially started by Southborough Town Council is testament to that. Whereas the 274 bus that almost runs between Southborough and Pembury Hospital and only at irregular intervals came about due to a planning condition applied indifferently. The now withdrawn proposal of a bus route through the Oak Road Green, Sherwood seemed vindictive, though with public scrutiny the final outcome, the construction of the doorstep green playground is good.

The choice we have locally is voting at the polling station or by post is good, I don't know of any other system tried locally. I guess the writer was trying to pre-empt postal vote only happening locally in future. In the June election the count started late in the evening and was a long process. I think different counters to the people who had been working in the polling station during the day should be employed to minimise the possibility of knowing which way a specific elector voted, and to reduce the number of hours worked. After the important first stage validation which checks that the number of ballot papers in the box coincided with the number of ballot papers issued, I think the ballot boxes should be re-filled, sealed and then counted the next day.

Faithfully
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KM Extra 08-07-04 Bus passes and the cost of poor Vehicle efficiency
Dear Sir,

A small point to add to Maurice Knights' letter on bus passes, which is that the free bus pass for use by people over 59 years of age provides half price travel after 9 am weekdays but also at all times at the weekends and bank holidays. Some other councils give greater discount, and there are also free passes and companion passes for disabled people or there companions.

I note the comment in another letter from Sevenoaks FoE that car manufactures should make cars more efficient. A vehicle's energy required follows a cubic law as the speed increases, this translates taking in to account distance travelled becomes an inverse square law of Miles per Gallon (KM/L) at a given speed.Therefore a car that does 50MPG at 70 MPH, you would expect would do 100MPG at 50MPH, and 200MPG at 35MPH. Unfortunately this does not seem to be the case. The problem is that the internal combustion engine is only any good near to full power output, and at proper running temperature. Another point to consider is that all motor costs have remained fairly constant in real terms over the period 1974 to 2003, whereas the cost of bus and trains travel has increased so it might seem that there is no pressing need to save fuel, but for the fact that 5 million people suffer respiratory illness in the UK due to vehicle emissions.

So even if you don't qualify for a bus pass like me, do consider using public transport. If you qualify for a free bus pass then can also mitigate the cost as well. Or literally vote with your feet and walk when it is practical.


Note for the Editor: The cost of motoring v Bus and Train travel see Hansard reproduced below:-

Travel Costs

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the change in costs of travelling by (a) car, (b) train and (c) bus in each year since 1974, taking 1974 as a base figure of 100, and discounting inflation. [160584]

Mr. McNulty: The following table shows the information requested on real changes in the cost of transport as indices based on 1974=100. The information is available in Transport Statistics Great Britain, although the current edition does not include 2003 data and is based to 1992=100. 

17 Mar 2004 : Column 289W


 All motoring(5) Rail Bus
1974 100.0 100.0 100.0
1975 104.4 109.2 104.9
1976 101.2 124.3 114.9
1977 99.9 125.0 114.1
1978 99.7 132.0 119.4
1979 104.0 128.8 118.4
1980 103.8 135.6 127.0
1981 103.9 138.6 125.6
1982 101.0 146.5 133.3
1983 103.2 148.5 134.7
1984 100.7 142.0 131.1
1985 99.4 142.4 128.9
1986 94.7 147.0 135.2
1987 96.3 148.4 137.4
1988 95.9 151.3 140.1
1989 93.9 153.2 140.2
1990 91.0 152.2 135.1
1991 92.3 158.8 145.5
1992 95.0 164.2 150.2
1993 97.6 173.0 154.3
1994 98.5 176.3 154.6
1995 97.0 178.1 155.0
1996 97.5 180.3 156.9
1997 99.6 178.9 157.6
1998 99.3 180.1 157.3
1999 100.2 183.8 160.6
2000 101.0 181.6 162.3
2001 98.7 185.3 166.1
2002 96.3 186.5 168.5
2003 94.8 184.3 170.6

(5) "All motoring" includes the cost of purchase, maintenance, fuel, tax and insurance

Source:

Retail Price Index, Office for National Statistics

Faithfully
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Courier 11-07-04 (similar letter sent to KM Extra) All Kent Rail Rover poorly promoted
Dear Sir,

A few weeks ago "Today" published an article on Medway Council with South Eastern Trains three (consecutive) day rail Rover for all over Kent for £24 (accompanied children £1). For some reason which SET won't explain too me why High Brooms Kent, Tunbridge Wells Kent and some other Kent (SET) stations seem to be excluded from the Rover. Your ticket from a minor SET Kent station, to a mainline SET station to purchase the rover is not refundable. Having tried to sort this out with SET unsuccessfully, I have enough information to expect some enjoyable outings, which is enhanced by some 2 for one offers.

For more information see: http://www.maritimeheritagetrail.co.uk/ The offer is available until the end of August, not forgetting to check last minute engineering.

Faithfully
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Courier 11-07-04 Bus Passes and bus information - not printed.
Dear Sir,

A small point to add to Maurice Knights' letter on bus passes, is that the free bus pass for use by people of 60 and over provides half price travel after 9 am weekdays, and also at all times at the weekends and bank holidays. Alternatively for disabled people there are free passes or companion passes for the disabled person, who can only travel accompanied. If you you want to travel before 9AM on weekdays there is a charge for the pass your chose.

It would be beneficial if council's would see that not only bus pass information but also managed public transport timetables information, once again at least one bus timetable in Tunbridge Wells seems lacking or has inaccurate information on the 29 bus goes to Brighton every half hour Monday to Saturday. I got a timetable from a stagecoach driver and confirmed this. Rail stations could be agencies for all public transport, with information on county bus passes.

So even if you don't qualify for a bus pass like me, do consider using public transport. If you qualify for a bus pass then council's and government will pick up half the fare for you.
 
Faithfully
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Courier 19-07-04 Follow up to poorly promoted Rail Rover - not printed.
Dear Sir,

Thank you for printing my letter last week, which followed up an article in the Courier's "Today" magazine. I have purchased and used the three (consecutive) day Rail Rover for all over Kent for £24 (accompanied children £1), and very much enjoyed the outings, and two for one offers. The frequency bus service between Chatham Station and the historic dockyard was very handy.

It is now quite easy for someone to turn up at Tonbridge Station and buy a Rail Rover. But it took a number of people a number enquiries to find out that although Tunbridge Wells Station know all about the ticket and have those tickets, they don't have the bar codes to issue the tickets, Tonbridge Station have the bar codes and the tickets, but did not know anything about the promotion, until Tunbridge Wells staff told them. The ambiguity between Medway Council's understanding that they were promoting an all Kent Rail Rover, and South Eastern Trains' published leaflet that omits some Kent Stations, was never explained to me by SET. I also don't see why the tickets are not available from any staffed station, such as was the case with the Connex Loyalty card and, the Hastings line 150 year anniversary ticket previously.

More information is available: http://www.maritimeheritagetrail.co.uk/ The Rover is available until the end of August, don't forget to check last minute engineering. The rail ticket to a mainline SET station which sells the rover is not refundable.

Faithfully
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Courier (edited) & KM Extra (minor edit) 15-08-04 - Preparing for (or to have) Emergencies
Dear Sir,

I recently received my copy of "Preparing for Emergencies". The website http://www.preparingforemergencies.co.uk/ recommends you dial 999, but I think it also sensible to insist on being given a reference number if it is the police service you are speaking to. This publication being the sequel to "Protect and Survive" and it's counter "Protest and Survive" of 20 years ago preparing for or avoiding war. Which was the sequel to the 4 minute warning of the 60's and the TV documentary filmed in Tonbridge "The War Game".

In Tunbridge Wells a Library Foyer display was banded within a day or two day of opening and Tunbridge Wells Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament collected 5,000 signatures in the following week to have it's display reinstated, but instead a manager of the local library was sacked, and TW CND marched through the town with a coffin representing the death of free speech.

Civil defence planning, a course tutored by a retired police man was run in Tunbridge Wells. Although emergency planning was said at that time to be intended for planning for any emergency, and knowing who had a tractor locally would be useful, the nuclear war and shooting the looters after was the important lesson it turned out. Although it was said that they/we would deal with any emergency at that time, and not wait until after the training was finished, but the lie became plain when we visited the basement of Springfield in Maidstone shortly after the very deep snow in North West Kent that winter. The Civil defence old men had been playing boy scouts in their emergency basement room - Playing Nuclear War emergency and shoot the looters exercise whilst the snow accumulated outside too a record depth (1986?).

I don't think the retired policeman doing the training liked the part of the training preparing for after a nuclear war exercise he was supposed to teach us, and presented with one of the other exercises instead or got distracted. One of those distractions was by how, when he as a young policeman with bicycle, he had had his helmet knocked off at pub closing time whilst on his own in a village. Though he was out numbered an old lady came out of a house and told the drinkers to give him his helmet back and go home, which they did. I must say I have seen former infant school dinner lady Val Catt, and later to be Councillor, do the same sort of thing with drinkers brawling on Christmas eve in the town. Getting back to the civil defence training - Eventually the trainer's senior came and sat in and made sure the shooting the looters lecture took place, not a very nice or practical lesson. That was followed by the visit of police and emergency central control in Maidstone where anything could be managed it seemed, followed by the visit of Springfield I described above where we saw lots obsolete phone equipment, and white boards with the same nasty lecture notes on it from the after nuclear war exercise that they had been doing in the past months.

Given that at the time US was planning a limited (tactical) Nuclear War in Europe, I think in retrospect there was sense in government ignoring the snow and preparing for the war, but it was nonsense, and I am still doubtful about calling the survivors looters and shooting them makes any sense either. So my question is what are we being prepared for this time around?

Note for the letters editor - (not for publication)

Tunbridge Wells CND booked the Library foyer for a one month display which came to the top of the waiting list two years later. Two years latter happened to coincided with the governments civil defence exercise "Operation Hard Rock" and CND's counter to it "Operation Hard Luck". The library at about that time other displays had included Milk Marketing Board, Battle of Britten, English Apples, but probably one of the better presented was the CND display which had been largely created by local artist Paula Williams from Wadhurst. The month was cut short after a day or two, but not really because it was tatty, but more likely because Sir Patrick Mayhew our then MP was civil defence minister, and would be making a speech to Tory Conference at the time. A Library Foyer display was inevitably going to coincide with something there was a lot of pro/anti Nuclear War activity at the time.

The full civil defence guidance, which was a reproduction of something from the 60's. Amongst the many practical things were the plans for building a men's urinal. This document was countered a Youth Tunbridge Wells CND publication.
Faithfully
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Courier 22-08-04 Next Prospective Parliamentary Candidate - Not printed.
Dear Sir,

I wish Alan Bullion or who ever is the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Tunbridge Wells luck. Peoples voting pattern reflects all sorts of reasoning, next time people could try voting Labour for change perhaps? Local Conservative Parliamentary Candidate's may as well be the King of Siam (Thailand) and I am but one hair of his head, as far as usual outcome is concerned, but things can change. In 1956 the Labour Candidate Len Fagg got within 1,602 votes of winning, although the Labour vote dropped off from 1970 it has been steadily rise again since 1992. I recommend that you vote for who I really want, whatever any Left publication Alan might have read advises.

When voting for local council's though there are areas like Southborough, where if you want some scrutiny of local government, voting Labour is a good idea. When Lib-Dems ran Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, they missed some opportunities, like a environmental code of conduct for local developers**. Even so the brief change of controlling party was good and many good things came out of the change. The audit report is another opportunity for improvement of our week borough council. Next year there is a chance that at least one local Kent County Councillor be Labour. Needless to say there is also a place for local press to scrutinise local government more than they do so now.

When the parliamentary election comes, despite the war, I do wish for a Labour Government not just because Labour have there act together more, but because Labour MPs have an excellent record in scrutinise there own government.

** Note not for publication
In 1996 High Weald Housing Association built 166 houses at Barnetts Wood. Having done nothing for more than six months they made a dreadful mistake resulted in the bulldozing of many nesting birds, chicks and eggs. The fine for doing this could have been considerable, but unfortunately European directives were not applied in the UK although they always were law. Although I was unable to persuade the developers to defer building during the nesting season soon, or persuade the RSPB prosecute, after the house were built HWHA offered to sponsor an environmental code of conduct for local developers. The condition was that voluntary code applied to all local developers, and TWBC would need to pull it together and ensure that information on record from organisations like Kent Trust for Nature was passed on. Unfortunately Councillor David Mills was unwilling to do that when he was the leader of the one time Lib-Dem Borough Council.

Faithfully
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Troops should assist in Asia KM Extra 21-01-05 with photo of 11 year old Mya Howard holding a poster at the Rally in T/W on 18 December.

Dear Sir,

It is unfortunate that Government should have been dragged into a war and occupation of Iraq. To there credit a large number of MP's voted against that war unambiguously, and some troops refused to obey orders to fight in an unlawful war. Troops should be sent to help, if needed with the Asian disaster or brought home now.

There are various points of view on War and what we should do now. I believe, that when military forces of occupation pull out the very long process of healing of Iraq can start. The problem is that any form of outside military force in Iraq is largely perceived (with good reasons), to be doing wrong however well intentioned. The outcome, I am sure will include Iraqi oil being traded in US dollars, and will continue to be painfully for the Iraqi's for many years whatever is done. I don't see any reason to believe that the leaked UN report, prior to the war, predicting that ultimately 1.26 million deaths due to war and disease that follows is an underestimate.

If readers are interested Tunbridge Wells Peace Group <action4peace@tun-wells.co.uk> will be meeting next at the Toc-H hall off the High Street, Tunbridge Wells on 7 and 21 January at 7.00pm. Contact no. 07791 851 697.

Peacefully
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Uniting the two parts of St. Matts Schools, printed KMExtra 18-03-05,
Dear Sir,


Recently taxi operation have restarted between the two parts of St. Matthews School, and that is subject of a planning application. The school suffers from unauthorised parking on it's own land and during the past decade has taken steps to minimise the effect. Although no child has been seriously hurt so far, safety is a concern.

When a taxi firm operated between the two parts of the School, that causes considerable annoyance to the school and neighbours. The annoyance was greatly reduced following a change of use subsequently. It is therefore concerning that an application to change back to taxi firm operation recently came about.

The transport depot business prior to 1991 operate very quietly, the operator of that firm retired. Kent County Council nearly bought out the transport depot at that time, and the local press ran a story about this happening. The deal unfortunately fell through and Starline then bought the site.

The proprietor of Starline, was helpful in dealing with problems that arose a decade ago, but the problems were not resolved. The then clerk to Southborough Town Council Graham Penticost was keen to help local councillors resolve the problem. Meetings with KCC resulted at one stage with the proprietor of Starline finding an alternative site to relocate to.

It would be handy if the two parts of the school were united.


Faithfully
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Clarification of the meaning of an advertisement, printed KMExtra 04-03-06

Copy to Marks & Spencer.

Dear Nigel,

Thank you for printing my letter in KM Extra 4 March copy below. Having looked at the advert in wimpy again I see that the comparison is between a Marks & Spencer's tuna sandwich, and a Wimpy Lean Berger. I have also visited M&S on the 5 March and spoken to the food manager Garry.

Sincerely

Published as a letter with minor changes 04-03-06  To KM Extra News Paper, Advertising Agency, Wimpy
Dear Sir,

I have been wondering what the meaning of the advertisement in the window of Wimpy in Tunbridge Wells (Junction of Grosvenor and Upper Grosvenor). The poster advert shows a Wimpy Burger with a number of grams of fat (oil) and a Tuna Sandwich with a higher number grams of fat (oil). The poster suggests there is no choice, but given that the poster does not mention the good Omega 3 oils in the tuna fish, or whether the burger contains saturated fat, the advert does not say?

I would appreciate it if Wimpy would clarification the meaning of the advertisement publicly. I am not a health professional, but I have been advised by my doctor to watch the type of oils and fats I consume.

Sincerely
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Air Quality on the A26, Sent to the Courier 06-03-05 a much edited version was published 18-03-05
Dear Sir,

As readers will be aware the A26 Southborough to Tunbridge Wells has been declared an Air Quality Management Area, and air quality is to be monitored to  EU/UK standards. The air quality is concerning and as I suffer from so called hay fever severally in the summer when near vehicle fumes, I am keen for people and local authorities to get on and do something about it. The number of vehicle a day on the A26 through Southborough is about 25,0000 a day and has been the same for three decades, so presumably the problem has existed for the same time. The air has been monitored for a decade, but not to EU or WHO standard methods, so it can not be said that there has been a problem previously, or whether vehicles have become more polluting recently?

Part of the solution is to:-

* Create a pinch point north of Southborough (could be a traffic light), to restrict traffic coming into Southborough so that vehicles coming in wait until they can move through built up areas freely. Cars entering Southborough having travel some distance would produces more NO2, the pollutant particularly problematic, and ozone, and that the fewer vehicles taking shorter time to complete their journey the less vehicle fumes will be emitted.

* Encourage walking buses to school, and walking. This solution would mitigate short vehicle journeys which produce high levels of carcinogenic pollutants such as unburnt hydrocarbons.

* Make public transport (buses and trains) that run parallel between Tonbridge to Tunbridge Wells cheaper, by subsidy, more frequent, and reliable.

* Longer term; build a freight sidings at Good Station Road, and Longfield Road to transfer local deliveries to road. The Shell heating oil depot at North farm Road could start using there freight siding again.

* Change the local plan to re-designate the industrial estate on the High Brooms side of the rail line for residential use. Therefore reduce the need for some heavy vehicle movements to occur through A26, and High Brooms.

Traffic on the A26 is capacity limited, for each car that could be persuaded not to travel on that road another would replace it. Therefore building roads won't solve any problems. Although most of the traffic is coming into Tunbridge Wells not going through, the restoration the rail link T/W to Brighton would be helpful and would also provide an alternative route to London via Eridge.

The widening and speeding up of traffic on the A21 at Castle Hill will not help as this route into Tunbridge Wells is congested. In any case it is selfish to attempt impose similar problems on Sherwood, High Brooms, and Pembury Road. In any case the section of A21 at Castle Hill  is noted in the Access to Hastings multi-modal study for its low fatality rate, and safety on that section of road is the primary concern of the public. An outer orbital motorway route connecting the A21 to the A26 South of Tunbridge Wells is unlikely to be built quickly or at all.

Many people are talk about building a bypass across Southborough Common to Langton, this would spoil a lovely local amenity. Instead I would like to see temporary fences and cattle grazing Southborough Common. I acknowledge that the house building that would come with such a scheme is needed.

Other measures widely discussed are to remove the traffic lights at Yew Tree Road, but I think the lights are beneficial compared to the problem that existed prior to there installation 25 years ago, even if when switched off things seem better briefly. The pelican crossing could be moved to in front of the Victoria Hall, and buttons for pedestrians added to the traffic lights at Yew Tree, and Speldhurst Road Junctions. Possibly loading lay-bys in front of the shops in the same section might also help, but these measures will do nothing for Southborough without a pinch point north of Southborough.

NOTE not for publication:- You may use this letter as First Person article.

Faithfully

Reference: My Access to Hastings archive: http://www.andrew.h.lohmann.btinternet.co.uk/home_a2h.htm/
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/ahlohmann/A2H-FINAL-REPORT.pdf
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/ahlohmann/A2H-APPENDICES.pdf

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The real number of deaths due to roads v MRSA from Kent on Sunday Sent 20-04-05, printed 01-05-05

Dear Sir,


Recently The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that air pollution, due to all forms of pollution shortens lives in Europe by up to ten months and costs billions of Euros every year. So the advertisement printed in KOS last Sunday on 5,000 deaths due to hospital MRSA, and the conservative campaign comparing deaths due to road transportation seems very misleading..In January 1998 New Scientist reported that up to 24,000 people die annually due to vehicle emissions according to the government statistics (office of national statistics), this is considerably more than have been dyeing of hospital MRSA. This figure is in addition to fatalities on the road, and 5 million children suffer respiratory illness due to road pollution.

When USA introduced the 55 MPH speed limit, fatalities on the road halved. If engine size were reduced to match, then fuel efficiency and air quality would be improved, and therefore you would expect a substantial reduction in need for hospital care, and thereby expect the cases of MRSA to be reduced substantialy as well.


Faithfully

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Would you trust Michael Howard. Sent to Courier and Radio 4's PM 20-04-05, not printed.

Dear Sir,


Having been talking to people recently on the General Election, my obvious retort could have been would you trust Michael Howard? I suggest that no one was deceived by any dossier on the issue of going to war on Iraq. Surely the relevant question now is if the president of USA demands our involvement in war on Iran in June or some time, do we say no this time. In the end it will be down to MP's to vote unequivocally no to such a war if they mean no, and Labour MP's have proven very good at constructively criticising government.


Peacefully
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A26 Southborough to Tunbridge Wells has been declared an Air Quality Management Area,
Sent to KM Extra 08 & 16-05-06 I gave an interview to KM FM on 10-05-06, then a well editied version of the letter was printed subsequently in KM Extra 20-05-06.

Dear Sir,

The declaration of the A26 Southborough to Tunbridge Wells as an Air Quality Management Area, and air quality is to be monitored to  EU/UK standards, is overdue. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned recently that air pollution shortens lives in Europe by up to ten months and costs billions of Euros every year. There have been a number of such warnings, for example in 1998 the office of national statistics reported that up to 24,000 people die annually due to vehicle emissions. The number of vehicle a day on the A26 through Southborough is about 25,0000 a day and has been the same for three decades, so presumably the problem has existed for the same time. I am keen for people and local authorities to get on and do something constructive about it.

Part of the solution could be:-

* Create a pinch point north of Southborough to restrict traffic coming into Southborough so that vehicles wait until they can move through built up areas freely.

* Encourage walking buses to school, and walking.

* Make public transport (buses and trains) that run parallel between Tonbridge to Tunbridge Wells cheaper, and more frequent, and reliable.

* Build freight sidings at Good Station Road, and Longfield Road to transfer local deliveries to road. The Shell heating oil depot at North farm Road could start using their freight siding again. The restoration the rail link T/W to Brighton may be helpful and would also provide an alternative route to London via Eridge.

* Change the local plan to re-designate the industrial estate on the High Brooms side of the rail line for residential use. Therefore reduce the need for some heavy vehicle movements to occur through A26, and High Brooms.

Traffic on the A26 is capacity limited, for each car that could be persuaded not to travel on that road another would replace it, so perhaps we should suggest radical things?

Note not for publication
1) I have reworded this letter slightly as was suggested to me.
2) Thanks for passing the original letter to KM-FM who broadcast some of my comments last Wednesday.


Faithfully
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The lesson don't build, or plan roads it only encourages them. Sent 08-06-05 Published in the Courier vitually unedited 13-05-03

Dear Sir,


Jan Petrie is correct in her understanding of traffic management. In about 1990 Cecil Parkinson claimed truthfully the 1980's the Tories, had the biggest road building programme ever. But by the mid 1990's the government started to kick many road schemes into the long grass, such as the failed Weald and Downland DBFO Scheme (Tonbridge to Hastings, and then to Eastbourne). Government switched away from using their computer model COBA (Cost Benefit Analyst) which builds roads for millionaires to travel faster on, because massive road building leads to even greater expectation, congestion, and therefore dissatisfaction.

In the mid 1990's Parliament set up a committee HETRA to look in to road building and all transportation. This committee's interim report said in essence that road building did not necessarily reduce congestion it had to be studied. Ultimately guidance was published on Multi-modal Studies, and the first study The Access to Hastings Multi-modal Study was commissioned in 1999. The study which looked at transport within a triangular area of Sevenoaks M25 along the A21, the coast, and Eastbourne, Unfortunately the Study consultants were unable to persuade the steering group to include the A26 rail corridor which formed the other side of the triangular area of the study, although consultation was carried out in St. Johns and Southborough.

The committee took a long time to report, and the guidance that followed was also late, a land mark lesson was being learnt, predict and provide has been replaced by traffic management. My own summary of the lesson is don't build, or plan roads it only encourages them (meaning people put off changing the transportation need, by relocating for example, in anticipation of road building thereby exasperating congestion).

Jan Petrie's assertion that more traffic will fill any capacity increase created unless other measures are taken is corroborated by a prediction made by the Department of Transport. The Department of Transport said at the public inquiry into the 6 lane A21 at Castle Hill in 1993 that traffic would increase from 25,000 to 40,000 vehicles a day by 1996 on the A26 if their road were not built, having said previously that Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils have a plan to create a pinch point just north of Southborough. I don't think they were being entirely honest, traffic on the A26 is at capacity it can not increase, But for each car that could be persuaded not to travel on that road another would replace it, so perhaps we should do more than tinker with the problem of the A26 air quality?

Road Peacefully
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Use of the old Ridgewaye School Gym by Ridgewaye Football Club, Sent to Courier & KMExtra ~06-12-05
Dear Sir,


I supported the license application for the sex shop in Southborough, because the application shows a responsible attitude to the subject. I also think sex as with most issues should be dealt with openly and not made a mistery, or necessarily wrong. The teenagers probably are more interested in other teenagers, and as the news quiz quoted the pensioners have there walking sticks anyway. In the main people quietly think what is planned is at least better than a vacant shop, and on the basis that any publicity is good then keep the discussion going will be good for business in Southborough. The Town Council could have support this business more fully by wrapping it up in the Town Centre Development, and forgotten about it for a while.

Many people don't like seeing the area of derelict land remain that way in Southborough. At Southborough Town Council last week consideration of the football pavilion was discussed, it would be good if the old Ridgewaye School gym, be used for sport by Ridgewaye Football Club. It is up to the owner's Kent County Council to set the term it cares to offer. Readers might recall that the Royal Victoria Project in Tunbridge Wells was initiated by Kent County Council in the 1960's and then was finally built in the 1990's. Town Council members commented on the number of plans have come for the Town Centre that would have been built and finished years ago. I was disappointed six years ago that the planning application for a little Sainsbury that could be extended was not supported by the council or the public who attended the meeting.


Faithfully
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Recent crashes on A21 (Pembury bypass), edited version published in the Courier 02-02-07
Dear Sir,


I note your reports of recent car crashes with sadness. It is 30 years since I was involved in a multiple car crash with fatalities on the A21 Tonbridge by-pass south bound carriageway. This multiple car crash just before the A26 turn off made front page of the Courier and ultimately resulted in the central barrier being placed on that section of the dual carriage way. It makes me uncomfortable when I am a passenger in a car particularly with people driving too fast or over the speed limit, ignoring 3 second gap, and complain about speed cameras. I also don't like seeing people ignore the spirit of the Highway Code by backing their cars out on to roads, or allow themselves to be distracted.

Since that car crash it has been recognised (as I have written before) that predict and provide policy for road building does not work whereas traffic management and study is better. It was disappoint to read of Councillor Ransleys proposal to clear the highways of parked cars and delivery vehicles so that more moving vehicles can fill the road and probably would actually result in stationary in cues of more drivers getting annoyed with highway builders and councillors not doing anything about the problem.

Like everything else you can't just expect a technically fix to come along or expand capacity you have to study and manage problems in order to do less harm or provide a benefit. Similarly a wind turbine may not be viable in the south east because of the low wind in this area. You can use wind and solar power most of the time to dry your clothes with some additional disinfection due to UV in the sunlight bleaching. This winter has been exceptionally few drying days and much more wind. My environmental credentials are poor though due to the air miles I will accumulate going on holiday to Guatemala next month. The point once again like a car journey to recycling banks - does it leave or mitigate my dirty environmental footprint on the world?


Faithfully
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