22/11/05

I am surprised that no-one was complaining about the fireworks being set off weeks before the 5th and, of course, since the 5th.

Every evening and into the night, fireworks are still being set off here in Lascelles, Darlington. We who live here know very well who the culprits are, and this has been reported to the police.

Action, I believe, is being taken, but until the law is changed, people are allowed to set off fireworks between 7am and 11pm. Now is the time to ban fireworks once and for all.

There should be no selling of fireworks to the general public whatsoever, and only organised displays should to be allowed, and only then when assurance is given that the noise levels will be respected.

The recent display in Darlington was horrific, the noise level of some of the explosions was well over 130 decibels. I was there checking with my decibel meter and they were so severe that our house windows were shaking, and we live two miles away.

I appeal to all responsible readers to send letters to Mr Alan Milburn about this problem. If there are enough, then perhaps the Government will listen. Log on to www.writetothem.com and send a letter, once a day to Alan. - Name and address supplied.

GOLD MEDAL

JUST a slight inaccuracy in your report (Echo, Nov 1) on the monument unveiled to 2/Lt John Youll VC.

It states that he also received the Italian Silver Medal for Valour, the country's highest award.

In fact, Italy's highest award is the Gold Medal for Valour, often referred to as the Al Valore.

Some of their torpedo and limpet mine underwater crews in the Med received this award during the Second World War.

In October 1918, for his actions in the Ave Raid on the Austrian Lines, my cousin, Pte William Weightman of the 1/6 Royal Warwicks, was awarded the Medalia di Bronzo al Valore Militare.

This was presented to him and other officers and soldiers by King Victor Emmanuel of Italy.

I was told by my late father that had Willie lived in Italy, he would have received a house and a pension.

This may or may not be correct, but he was given a 'buckshee' leave to Lake Garda. He farmed at Seaham and at Vigo, where he lived. The A1(M) goes slap through that farm today.

I regard your excellent newspaper as 'the Geordie Daily Missal'. - Bill Weightman, Richmond.

COUNCIL ACHIEVERS

I HAVE lived and worked in many towns and cities across the UK and, in my experience, I find the one thing they have in common is that the whipping boys are always the local councils.

The criticism too is familiar. Dirty streets, poor shops in the town centre, schools falling down. Councils are always criticised for not achieving. But in Darlington it's really different - here the council gets hammered for achieving.

I have read over the last 12 months in this newspaper numerous stories of the council's efforts to keep the streets clean; its £6.5m scheme to renew the town centre; the multi-million pound shopping centre and the £100m sourced since 2001 to build new schools.

To top it off, Darlington people pay the lowest level of council tax in the North-East.

All I can say to those who complain is, go and live elsewhere and see if you can get the same quality of life for what you pay in Darlington. Take it from me, it will not be easy. - Andrew Baker, Darlington.

CAMPSITES

AS we anticipate another considerable increase in council tax I was incensed to read that some councils collect nothing from gipsy campsites.

This despite the fact the travellers send their children to local schools and leave behind their waste when they move on.

What is the collection rate for Darlington Borough Council with regards to the travelling community?

Can we be assured that there is no prejudice and that they are subject to threats of legal action, backed by the intimidation of bailiffs banging at their doors?

Does the same risk apply to anyone else who dares challenge a council's right to impose whatever increase they see fit? I refer to the pensioners in other local authorities sent to prison for protesting against unreasonable increases by paying only the amount they felt was unjust.

My resentment is towards the council more than the travelling community. I can respect their right to live what I consider a primitive existence. However, I will not accept footing their part of the bill. - Des More, Darlington.

ROAD SAFETY

WHILE we are in favour of enforcing realistic speed limits, it appears that the traffic calming measures installed in Carr Lane, Spennymoor, do not serve this purpose.

A very limited consultation carried out by the council did, in fact, show that the residents were in favour of some form of speed control but not one as ineffective as this. It would appear that the majority is being punished for the sins of the few.

The chicane system installed at the top of Greenways estate is a hazard and most of the residents have had experience of confrontation due to drivers not being able to judge the speed of approaching vehicles. At present there is mud on the road from the adjacent building development and, with the approach of winter conditions, a serious accident could occur.

There have never been any recorded accidents on this stretch of road so why attempt to create one?

The boy racers seem to be the only beneficiaries as they use the chicanes to test their skills after dark.

At the lower end of the estate speed bumps have been installed which have proved to be unpopular, of poor design but a boon to the car repair industry.

As the chicanes are only supposed to be temporary until roundabouts are installed for the new housing development, it would improve our quality of life if Durham County Council were to remove these undesirable and dangerous lumps of concrete. - B Gobin, Greenways Residents Association, Spennymoor.

WALK ON

WHEN is some attention going to be paid to pedestrians in Darlington?

That is people moving by putting one foot in front of the other.

We have bus lanes, traffic lanes and bicycle lanes. The latter are on paved areas formerly called footpaths.

In the town centre, movement on what remains of the footpaths is virtually impossible in many places due to poorly sited bus stops, making shopping extremely difficult.

Two ideas: 1 A local cycle tax to pay for proper cycle ways, like road tax pays for roads.

2 A bus station. - JA Telford, Darlington.