Borough Life Winter 2006: Life Lines
Controversy over bikers revs up debate
Our recent article and letter about off-road biking provoked a big response – both for and against. Here’s a flavour….
Sir, – The current ‘campaign’ completely misses the point. It's not the ‘bad bikes’ but the ‘bad riders’ that are the problem. There is a significant community amongst the majority law abiding population who would like to enjoy off road motor sports but just cannot do so.
Rob Harvey (by email)
Sir, – Perhaps they should make sure that they have somewhere to ride, far away from other residents, before getting off-roaders, and instead, getting a road bike and enjoying the hundreds of miles of open roadways, getting the thrills hopefully without the spills.
Mike (biker), Platt Bridge.
Sir, – Before the removal of the bikers from Bickershaw colliery our days and evenings in the garden were ruined by the noise from these bikes, and we live in Lowton! The bikes are deliberately made to sound as loud as possible.
Colin Smith (by email)
Sir, – Living within a few hundred yards of an existing motorcycle race-track, I speak from bitter experience of the misery the resulting cacophony can inflict. A peaceful afternoon in the garden is out of the question.
Should Wigan MBC choose to sanction such a venue, then it surely must reject any location within at least one mile of non-consenting residents.
Silent Knight, Astley (By email, name and address supplied)Flowers have brightened up the area
Sir, – I would like to thank whoever was responsible for planting the wild flower seeds in the ‘park area’ around Gorton Drive and Braithwaite Road, Lowton. These have given a great deal of pleasure to myself and others while walking the dogs.
Mrs P. Macklin, Lowton
Sir, – I am trying to arrange a reunion for the girls who left Gidlow Secondary Modern School in 1957 – next year it will be 50 years since that event. Anyone interested could contact me on 01257 401628.
Jean Markland (formerly Clements), Park Hey Drive, Appley Bridge
Sir, – It was refreshing to read the article regarding the agreement of certain hostelries to sign up to keeping the towpath area around them clear. However, as a local resident near to the Crawford Arms it is disheartening to see the amount of rubbish put through the hedges of the towpaths.
David Tinsley (by email)
Sir, – I agree that parking attendants do a very necessary job in preventing illegal parking. I only wish there were more of them as then perhaps illegal parking on pavements would be a thing of the past. Think about the disabled person, the parent with a pushchair and other pedestrians.
Frances Gray, Lowton
Sir, – Congratulations on Borough Life – everything about it screamed POSITIVE! It is so good to see people joining in on the various projects and taking pride in themselves and their surroundings. The optimism shown in the magazine seems to be reflected in the people of the borough nowadays.
Pam Baldwin, Cranfield Road, Wigan
Civic pride as volunteers tackle litter menace
Sir, – Let me congratulate you on another excellent edition of Borough Life, with its underlying theme of what we used to think of as “Civic Pride”.
I realise that the days are long gone when housewives would “stone” their steps and sweep their flags, as a matter of personal pride.
Perhaps we can reactivate at least a part of that pride by inviting everyone to help tackle the litter menace.
Volunteers might be issued with gloves, picking sticks, bags, and, most importantly, distinctive HiViz jackets with the Borough motif and the words ‘Civic Pride Volunteer’.
Harry T Jones (by email)
Sir, – I was driving through Platt Bridge towards Abram and was disgusted that litter was blatantly deposited out of the window by the passenger of the car in front of me.
I was so incensed that I beeped my horn only to be given obscene gestures and a defiant act of an additional thrown supermarket bag. On reaching the traffic lights at the junction of Lily Lane and Warrington Road the driver engaged reverse gear and threatened to ram my car.
What can be done about “yobs” of the type I encountered today dropping litter indiscriminately from road vehicles? It is fine to have wardens issuing on the spot penalties but what can the council do to educate its residents and road users to behave responsibly?
Derek Todd, Lowton
Editor’s note. The council has issued almost 1600 fines for litter and the majority of these were to drivers throwing litter from their vehicles.owever in law drivers can’t be held responsible for the actions of their passengers. While education in schools is important, research shows that the most effective deterrent is the fear of being hit in the pocket.
The council’s People and Places team does sterling work with volunteers across the borough. If you want to get involved, contact Nick Burdekin on 01942 404390 (n.burdekin@wigan.gov.uk)