Are the area’s speed cameras in the right place?

RECENTLY I counted 10 fixed speed cameras on the A435 between Studley and Alcester – a distance of about five miles.

I wonder why the A435 now qualifies for so many cameras over a relatively short distance?

Some of the cameras are very obvious on bright new yellow posts, some less obvious on existing lamp posts.

Will this investment be self funding?

By comparison the A46 between Evesham and Tewkesbury – a distance of about 14 miles – is mainly a single carriageway with changeable speed limits up to 60 mph.

This stretch of the A46 is notorious for accidents, some fatal.

There are no fixed speed cameras and I believe two mobile camera sites.

Is the A435 about to become very dangerous?

B Botherway (Ideally show as BB Hunt End)

Hunt End

Calling on MP to help constituents with energy costs

AN OPEN letter to MP Rachel Maclean.

The cost of living crisis is a major concern for Redditch constituents and OFGEM’s 80 per cent fuel price cap hike is devastating news for households across Redditch, doubling the number of people who will be deemed to be in fuel poverty.

Across the UK it is forecast two thirds of householders will pay more than 10 per cent of their annual income on fuel.

In Redditch where the average income is the lowest in Worcestershire this latest rise will hit even more bill payers.

It is imperative the government takes serious action to prevent people falling into hardship and physical and mental ill health as a result of these price increases.

We are asking you to:

* Campaign to freeze the price cap so thousands of Redditch residents can avoid the impending poverty and hardship which is predicted over the next months. This will support all households, whilst proposals to offset this huge increase with tax cuts target those who pay tax and disproportionately benefits those who are in the higher income bracket – those who don’t earn enough to pay tax won’t benefit from a tax cut.

* Attempt to tackle the issue of prepayment meters. Prepayment customers are typically lower income households but their electricity and gas tariffs are higher than those of direct debit customers. From October the average prepayment meter household will need to find £3,608 per year. We believe most Redditch households on prepayment meters earn less than £36,000-a-year (with fuel poverty defined as more than 10 per cent of wages on fuel). Households unable to fulfil their direct debit payments will be forced onto prepayment meters, meaning further energy cost increases.

* Recognise the need for pay increases in both the public and private sectors. We need substantial wage increases in many sectors to beat inflation.

* Whilst we all have a collective responsibility to use fuel wisely, advice on frugality is not enough to solve this. For many hardworking families there is nothing left to cut. We recognise the government has implemented some payments to help those on low incomes, but this latest price increase (and predicted future ones) makes those payments insubstantial.

* Implement measures to protect small businesses, and the voluntary and community sector which face potential closure over rising energy costs. Business tariffs are typically higher than domestic tariffs and there is currently no support available.

This is not an issue which will pass quickly – prices are predicted to remain sky high until at least 2024. If the government refuses to act, we will also see a predicted surge in inflation to over 14 per cent.

We are asking you to act with immediacy and compassion, to help every household in the Redditch constituency. You say you will ‘do everything you can’ – we hope you will demonstrate this is a real commitment, rather than an empty show of words.

Redditch Constituency Labour Party

Action needed on Redditch United fans’ behaviour

I ATTENDED a match at Redditch United earlier this season when a group of home fans were singing and chanting in support of the team but the songs were laced with swearing and abusing opposition players, and even their own manager when their team was losing.

It was boorish behaviour – when a supporter complained to a steward, the steward himself became a target for abuse.

I emailed the club about this behaviour and suggested should a visiting team bring their own supporters there was the likelihood of confrontation and trouble.

Apparently there was crowd trouble at the Redditch v Nuneaton game recently.

The club needs to tackle this issue before it becomes a bigger problem.

Malcolm Jones

Southcrest

EDITOR’S COMMENT

SOMETHING long-term has to be done about the energy price cap and the spiraling costs to households which are causing major concern to many as the colder months approach.

No-one should have to pay anywhere near £3,549 while greedy bosses are making ridiculous profit-margins that most of us would be unable to spend in a lifetime.

Freezing the rise – unless it is until May and then again for the same months the following year – will just prolong the pain.