Dangerous dog attack shame
I WAS so sorry for Karen Burton, as I know how horrendous a dog attack can be (Appeal to find owner of attack dog, Gazette, April 3). It is a terrifying experience.
My own dog, Muffin, was attacked in my local park just over a year ago and I am still terrified of meeting other dogs.
Something must be done about these dangerous dogs, as the police seem unable to help.
My dog had to have an overnight stay at the vet and luckily he is fine now, although he is now 11 years old and he does not need this sort of thing.
Once again, this attack was by two bull mastiffs. I hope Mrs Burton will soon be able to enjoy her walks again.
GS
Hillingdon
via email
Thatcher was just keeping her word
ALL true Britons should raise a glass to Margaret Thatcher, thank her and celebrate her life.
Far too many people seem to have a very strange view of history. So here are a few little nuggets about how, and more specifically, why, a lot of industries were destroyed by her, and what is more destroyed with the mandate of the British people.
The 1970s were blighted by the trade unions waiting for winter and then coming out on strike, holding the country to ransom for annual pay rises of up to 36 per cent above inflation.
They bled us dry and we were bankrupted by them. And then the Winter of Discontent happened and they all came out – miners, power workers, transport workers, even funeral directors.
The entire country was a ruin. And the unions laughed, and brought down Callaghan’s Labour government.
Thatcher stood up at the general election and made one simple promise: “Elect me and this will never happen again. Elect me and I will destroy them.”
She won a landslide on that promise and she became the last elected Prime Minister to actually hold true to her election promise.
She did exactly what she said – she utterly destroyed the unions.
The cost was those industries.
We knew that would be the price, but we would not allow them to hold us to ransom again.
What she did, she did with our blessing.
The socialists and people who backed those strikes have only themselves to blame for what happened.
Baroness Thatcher did not destroy those industries and communities for fun or as part of a class war, she did it to stop them holding the country to ransom again.
KEITH SAUNDERS
Tavistock Road
Yiewsley
Sometimes paying is the only fair way
I CAN understand that some people are against the car parking fees at Highgrove pool, but I have often arrived during the mid-mornings and found the car park completely full, possibly with cars parked the whole day by teachers and pupils from Bishop Ramsey school (Centre parking fees hit non-members, Letters, March 20).
I am just very pleased that Highgrove pool has reopened. If I have to pay to park my car there, like in so many other places in the borough, it is only acceptable that change happens.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED
Scooter youths ruin our summers
I WANT to know if you would do a piece on the local youths and their recklessness on their scooters surrounding Swakeleys Park.
Every year when the sun comes out, so do all the mischievous youths on their loud and noisy scooters, riding like maniacs up and down Milton Road and The Avenue.
In addition to this, they smoke and drink and do who knows what else in the park and have races through it on their scooters until all hours of the morning.
It drives myself and all the surrounding residents absolutely insane. You can’t approach them, as they threaten to do damage to your home and vehicle, or threaten to come back with more youths to do you harm.
All the local residents have reported this behaviour to the police, who then eventually come down and move the youths along. Then, an hour later, they are back.
Surely there must be something further that can be done to stop them.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED
l Chief Inspector Rob Wilson of Hillingdon Police responded: “Dealing with anti social behaviour (ASB) remains a priority for Hillingdon Borough Police. All reports relating to ASB are taken seriously and reviewed by senior management each day with the aim of reducing the impact of such behaviour on our communities.
“We are mindful of the different types of ASB that can occur and how the warmer months can also have an impact on this problem. Enforcement action will be taken on persistent offenders.
“My message to our residents is that with your help we can make your local community safer. Tell your local Safer Neighbourhoods Team who is committing ASB in your area.
“Any information passed to us will be dealt with as soon as possible and will be carefully considered. We also work in with partnership with other agencies to tackle ASB problems.”
It is so nice to see a new pub in area
WITH so many pubs closing around the country, I’d like to say a big ‘well done’ to the staff and landlord of the newly opened Ye Olde Crown in North Hayes.
I have lived in the area for 30 years and this is most definitely an added plus to the area.
I love my area and all the nice families that live here. I am quite well-known, as I do run car-boot sales in the surrounding areas.
I will be spreading the news to all my customers so they can all experience the pub for themselves.
The new pub is very friendly and at present it is serving just bar food while the restaurant is awaiting an opening date.
I have visited the pub during the day with my family for a coffee and a sandwich – so nice to see so many ladies and local office workers having lunch.
My grandchildren were also made most welcome and I returned another evening with family and friends for a meal.
The food is excellent and the welcome you receive will most definitely keep the visitors coming back. It is so nice to see so many local people supporting the pub, a great place to meet friends.
IRENE CALVER
Raynton Drive
Hayes
HS2 detour will add mere miles to HS3
THE government’s next big rail infrastructure project, High Speed 3, will connect many of the cities omitted when building HS1 and HS2, creating jobs and boosting our economy, say experts.
Research gathered by HS3 Limited concludes that the first phase of HS3 alone, connecting London with the Welsh city of St David’s in Pembrokeshire, will create countless new jobs and many euros in revenue every year to Wales.
The project is estimated to cost approximately £9billion a year to build, and is not predicted to exceed the annual losses of HS1 and HS2 combined.
The principal difference, say supporters, is that HS3 and its benefits, will reach far beyond England and help to heal the east-west divide.
The first stage will be to link up with HS2. Passengers will be able to walk the short distance from Birmingham New Street to the new canal barge terminus at Commercial Street where they will be whisked away by narrowboat to a new station to be built at Coseley.
From Coseley the new Z section will link St David’s via Newtown on the western spur. The southern/eastern spur (Stage 2) will link Truro via Merthyr Tydfil, crossing the Bristol Channel by a new hydrofoil service serving Llantwit Major and Ilfracombe, thereafter continuing onward through Exeter and Swindon (stage 3) until finally terminating at Norwich.
A slight detour around Chipping Norton will add about 10 miles to the route.
STEPHEN GREEN
South Heath Against HS2
South Heath
Bucks
There are two breeds of cyclist
I AM writing with reference to the letter Danger of cyclists without lights, (Letters, March 27, and responses, April 10).
I am a cyclist myself, from a cycling family, and my two girls are currently training to become professional cyclists.
I would like to point out that there are in fact two breeds. Breed one is people who ride on the road with the proper equipment, helmets, lights, high visibility clothing, adhere to the Highway Code and generally act with consideration to other road users.
Breed two are not cyclists or riders at all, they are people who can ride bikes.
You will find that most of these people are the ones who ride on pavements, without lights, swooping past pedestrians with no thought for others.
Motorists hate cyclists generally because of the inconsideration shown by so many, and one can’t really blame them. It’s people like this that give proper cyclists a bad name.
Motorists are so inflamed by these ignoramuses, and rightly so, that sometimes they act rashly, wanting to teach the ‘cyclist’ a lesson, or just wanting to get out of the way before the person does something stupid or dangerous that will result in an accident.
Personally, if I have to go on the pavement I tend to get off and walk past pedestrians, particularly elderly people or young children, or else slow right down so I can stop quickly if need be.
In conclusion, there are considerate, proper cyclists and considerate, proper motorists, and we are all fighting a battle against the inconsiderate, improper motorists and people who ride bikes. Consideration for all.
HANNAH MELLOR
via email
Winter no excuse for cratered roads
OUR council tells us that there are no cuts to frontline services, yet our heavily cratered roads – now even worse than under Labour 1993-1998 – tell a very different story.
Before they tell us once again that ‘it’s just the winter weather’, we all know that there has been a rapid deterioration since May 2010. The excuse cuts no ice with the many among us who have had our suspension or wheel rims wrecked.
There has been some loose asphalt thrown into holes without compaction or sealing, which has proved to be just a waste of both time and financial resources.
It seems that neither party on Hillingdon Council is awake to this increasing problem to motorists and pedestrians and, I am sure, must hear from their constituents on a regular basis – as do Hillingdon UKIP ward co-ordinators.
Perhaps the responsible cabinet member could get a map and find his way to Worcester Road and other cratered roads in the borough, making sure to avoid disappearing down an enormous void.
GEOFF COURTENAY
UKIP Hillingdon
via email
Happy birthday to shopworker Sue
ALL too often people working in shops are overlooked and not shown enough respect by the general public, who can sometimes be impatient and rude.
That is why we must commend a hardworking and helpful lady called Sue Baker, who has in the past worked in two Hayes shops and was an asset to her local community, brightening up the days for her elderly customers, especially while putting her own troubles to one side.
It’s her birthday on Friday, April 19, so we would like to take this chance to send our gratitude and best wishes. Hopefully, she will take the time to relax and pamper herself for a change.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED
New school’s aim is decent citizens
WE HAVE started the first Islamic Saturday school, in Stockley Academy, Uxbridge, where we are making learning enjoyable for children by activity based methods.
We are a group of Muslim teachers who are teaching in mainstream schools who felt the need to bring in modern teaching techniques in Islamic education.
This school has been well supported by the local community and has 60-plus enrolments in the first three weeks, which shows that there is a need for a modern and progressive approach to teaching in RE.
We have native Arabic teachers and all our parents and children are very happy being a part of this Saturday school. We emphasise the similarities between different faiths and are trying to create a new generation of law-abiding, decent citizens.
NAZISH HUSSAIN
Headteacher
Al Jannah Academy
