WHILST I embrace the environmental benefits of Redditch Borough Council’s collaboration with ‘Bird’ in bringing an E-scooter initiative to Redditch, I have strong concerns that this is actually in effect an unviable gimmick.
Whilst the published costings of just £1 initial rental and just 15p, seems affordable at first glance, after consideration and doing the maths this fee becomes £10 for the first hour and £9 per hour there after, this simply isn’t affordable for a large proportion of Redditch, a lot which do not earn £10 per hour the first place.
Added to this you have the additional pressure Covid 19, and it’s effects on businesses resulting in a huge amount of our population both nationally and locally living in a state of financial uncertainty.
So whilst the alternative to private petrol based transportation is basically being priced outside the affordability of a huge amount of Redditch ‘s population.
M Tomes, Church Hill
FURTHER to my letter about the Council’s change of face on protecting public open space published in last week’s Redditch Standard, I have researched a restrictive covenant which had been brought to my attention and found my initial information was incorrect.
I cannot now say this part of the park was protected in perpetuity by Redditch Development Corporation.
It did protect a lot of the southern sector of the park but for some reason failed to include the ‘proposed cemetery’ meadow.
It only touches this meadow at the western boundary (south end for about 100metres) and the eastern boundary (south end for about 40metres) and therefore does not have the same impact on the planning application made by the council.
However I still object to the planning proposal.
A Willcock, Redditch
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY endorse the opinions of J West, M Lee and R Wilson regarding Boris Johnson’s government and the Internal Markets Bill (Letters).
I don’t know if it’s even legal to write into national law the ability to break an international treaty on which the ink from one’s own pen is barely dry, but it’s certainly unethical, whether you try to call it an ‘insurance policy’ or not.
This is just Boris Johnson throwing his toys out of the pram (or Dominic Cummings doing it for him) in an attempt to get his own way vis-a-vis the hoped-for free trade deal with the EU.
We were lied to throughout the referendum campaign.
Unfortunately a pathetically tiny majority believed the lies; polls over the last year, since the drawbacks and lies became increasingly clear, indicate that, were the referendum to be rerun, there’d be a hefty and convincing majority for Remain.
Too late; and we have a government chosen on nothing but its Brexit credentials (cock-up after cock-up indicating that it has no others) and negotiators as inept as they are unqualified.
V Gaize, Studley
IT IS a truth universally acknowledged that Redditch needs more social housing. We are a growing town and many of our residents are unable to consider buying a property, cannot afford private rental and are often trapped in unsuitable or temporary accommodation.
Just over two years ago the Redditch Conservative group promised us a swathe of brand new council houses, but sadly they have failed to get a single ‘shovel in the ground’ so far.
Previous government restrictions on council house building have been lifted, so what is the dither and what is the delay?
The last council houses to be newly created in Redditch were in Enfield, part of the Martley Close complex – a project commissioned by the Labour controlled council, paid for with money allocated by the last Labour leadership. In fact that Labour-led council saw a massive 600 social housing properties built with the support and forward thinking of the Co-Operative developers.
These homes also pioneered a high quality eco-build standard- including timber clad houses and plastic free homes.
It would appear the Tories are all slogan and no substance when it comes to delivering on promises made at election time. Unlock Redditch? There isn’t even a key in the (unbuilt) door yet.
S Harvey, Southcrest
ONCE again I have come away from a Redditch garage empty handed because the garage is trying to charge me extra to pay contactless.
I refused and left my shopping on the counter.
There seems to be a trend of small convenience shops and garages that want to charge a minimum of between £2 and £5.
We are pensioners, we haven’t got money to throw away and we do not want to buy something else to make up the difference.
I think these stores should be named and shamed.
Especially in the current Covid conditions where the government are saying contactless is the better way to go.
M.Davies, Redditch
IT IS with regret that Studley Art Circle have had to cancel their annual art exhibition, due to be held this Saturday, October 10.
This is yet another victim of the virus.
Not only does this exhibition give the group the opportunity to showcase their art work but also to raise funds for local charities through the sale of pictures,refreshments and raffle.
Although unable to meet together, the group has kept in touch through social media and are still painting.
They are taking up a monthly art challenge whereby they are given a subject.
This is a personal challenge ,open to their own interpretation of that subject to keep them motivated and adding paint to paper.
By next year there should be plenty of masterpieces to display at Studley Village Hall.
The date being October 9 so make a note of it. It should be better than ever.
P Shipley, Studley Art Circle
