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Roundabout woes

I THINK I was one of the first people to write to the Adver with a comment concerning the new layout at Greenbridge Roundabout when it first became operational without the lights at the beginning of this year.

At the time there were no road markings at each of the entry points which was extremely dangerous as it was difficult to determine where to stop.

I am pleased to note that that was very soon rectified and the roundabout then functioned properly as a roundabout does.

However, a few weeks later the traffic lights were then switched on and ever since then it has been mayhem.

On several occasions I have had to break sharply or have struggled to get across to the correct lane to make my exit, all because the lights do not allow for free flow round the roundabout.

I have written to the Adver a couple of times since and also to my local councillor and the traffic management section of the council.

The councillor seems to support my views that the lights are not necessary except maybe at peak times which is what I have been advocating. This seems to work perfectly at Mannington and Bruce Street Bridges.

The council have at last responded to my comments but have said that because there are also pedestrian lights by the roundabout it is not possible to operate just at peak times.

Quite why they come up with that answer baffles me as there were pedestrian lights at Greenbridge before the new layout was installed.

There are also pedestrian lights at the Lidl roundabout, Transfer Bridges, Whitehouse Road and the Oasis to name just a few and those roundabouts seem to operate as a roundabout is designed to do.

The council has said that there is a problem with the phasing of the lights which is going to be addressed in September and, judging by the sign which has just gone up at the Drakes Way exit point which says “this road is going to be closed on September 3 from 10.21am to 13.36pm” it will probably happen then. I just hope that they keep to the times stated.

Really what is wanted is to let the roundabout work as a roundabout does without the need for lights.

But I don’t think the council thinks like that. After all it is only common sense, which does not seem to be very much in existence at our council.

Maybe if more people were to contact their local councillor or the Traffic Management section something might get done, but don’t hold your breath.

MIKE LARGE, Stratton St Margaret, Swindon

NATO was peacekeeper

SARAH Church offers her particular insight into the benefit of EU membership and the security of our country and Europe in general (SA 24 Aug).

Sadly, she suggests that anyone not sharing her grand viewpoint “lacks contextual understanding” which may or may not actually be the case.

Let me first challenge her hyperbolic assertion that the EU’s greatest achievement has been to prevent war between its largest members for the longest period in history.

Clearly Sarah wilfully ignores the role of NATO as being the primary peacekeeping force post war, having been formed well before the first incarnation of the EU which was a trade confederation consisting of six European countries - the UK wasn’t one of them.

In 1949, the prospect of further Communist expansion prompted the United States and 11 other Western nations to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - NATO.

The Soviet Union and its affiliated Communist nations in Eastern Europe founded a rival alliance, the Warsaw Pact, in 1955.

The alignment of nearly every European nation into one of the two opposing camps created a political division of the European continent after the Second World War.

It was NATO, and in fact it has always been NATO, which created the environment for military peace in post war Europe.

As for Europol, well for a relatively new kid on the block– it has only been recognised as an EU institution for ten years - it makes the grandiose claim that it is the European Union’s law enforcement agency and its primary aim is to achieve a safer Europe for the benefit of all EU citizens.

Some readers will be amazed to discover that Europol has no rights to investigate any form of crime in any EU country; their role is simply to provide ‘requested’ assistance.

Their own website states quite clearly that “Europol has no authority to arrest criminals or investigate on information provided by citizens.”

I’m not sure why Sarah would infer that the UK leaving the political construct of the EU should result in our law enforcement agencies having lower levels of contact with Europol or, indeed, any organisation which is connected with securing national borders and combating crime.

It might appear to some that, despite her military service and her need to let us know she was a major, it is Sarah who lacks the historical and contemporary factual understanding of how peace and security has been maintained in Europe.

DES MORGAN, Caraway Drive, Swindon

Nationalism needed

I WOULD like to reply to Sarah Church (Aug 24) about the European Union, but first let me compliment her on the nine per cent increase in the Labour share of the vote achieved in south Swindon in 2017.

The reason for her increase was that in Swindon the UKIP vote switched to the Labour Party.

I was the UKIP candidate in North Swindon. My interests are what is good for Britain, the British people, protecting our borders and British industry.

This is why I was angry when Tony Blair shut down MG Rover in 2005. That was our last British-owned volume car maker.

Britain now only assembles imported components made abroad so that every car made in Britain now makes the trade deficit worse.

The Labour Party are more interested in what is good for Europe and not what is in the British interest.

This is because the Labour Party always takes he global view of problems and not what is good for Britain. This is because Labour is not a nationalist party.

More nationalism could have avoided Britain being dragged into the unnecessary First World War in 1914. Germany had been a long term ally of Britain and it was crucial at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 in the defeat of Napoleon.

More nationalism could have avoided the war in Iraq in 2003 where regime change accidentally created ISIS.

With a bit more nationalism we could have defeated the Normans at the Battle of Hastings 1066.

If there was more moderate nationalism in Europe today there would be a tougher line on ISIS terrorism.

The EU’s open borders policy and the free movement within the Schengen area have created a safe haven where the terrorism of ISIS can flourish.

The current situation is that no one can feel safe anywhere in Europe.

STEVE HALDEN, Beaufort Green, Swindon

Accolades await you

DAY in and day out in your local care homes, community services or in people’s homes social care workers are supporting adults who access care and support services and that’s why the Skills For Care Accolades were created to reward their hard work and dedication.

Skills For Care needs your help to persuade employers who may be supporting you, your family or someone like you to enter the Accolades that reward excellence in developing the skills and knowledge of their workforce.

Many people are not aware that 1.48 million people work in adult social care and the Accolades is designed to recognise the work they do that change people’s lives.

All entries should be made online at www.skillsforcare.org.uk/ by Thursday September21 to enter one of the 10 categories. The much coveted Accolade trophies will be presented to the winners at a national awards ceremony in London next year.

SHARON ALLEN OBE, CEO, Skills for Care West Gate, Grace Street, Leeds