I hope I am speaking for many residents when I say what a pleasure it has been living in Thames Avenue over the past few days with the road closed at Dart Avenue.

This road is a rat run for the houses around the North Orbital. That’s fine but the problem is the speed. Seventy per cent of the vehicles being driven are ignoring the 30mph limit and driving at 50-70mph.

With the closure, driving from Whitworth Road end, drivers must go slow so they can manoeuvre past the sharp turn into Dart Avenue – the same applies driving out of that road. The silly boys on their scooters are thankfully missing and the volume of traffic must have dropped by 60 per cent.

Two years ago, a couple of police officers stood by Dart Avenue with a speed gun. At the time they said it would be a regular spot for checking speed. ‘Regular’ must mean two years or more – where are they?

Appreciation must go to Thamesdown Transport as they have maintained a service during this period keeping the elderly mobile, yet the diversion for the bus drivers has not been easy.

Can I ask the councillors if we can have a full width speed ramp on this section of the road?

Fred Iles Thames Avenue Swindon

Must be stopped

Many will not vote for a Police Commissioner on 15th November because they see the dangers of placing into the hands of just one unknown highly paid person, almost certainly a politician, such wide ranging powers to regulate and place their own personal/political stamp upon the running of our local police service.

Gone will be the checks and counter balances against extreme and outlandish ideas, protection that was provided by the outgoing police authorities.

Those of us who oppose the politicisation of our local police force, giving one person such tremendous powers, should not stay at home on the 15th but go to the polling station and place a great big NO across the names of all of the candidates listed.

It is the only way we have to democratically voice our opposition to Police Commissioners. If there are more spoilt ballot papers than votes cast for the candidates, surely the Government will have to think again.

Alan Scotford Marshfield Road Chippenham Wiltshire

Lions support

Swindon Lions Club would like to thank all the people who turned up at their Firework Spectacular at the Polo Ground on Saturday 3rd November.

The initial feedback from people attending was that it was the best display ever, especially the breathtaking finale.

Although money raised was not quite as good as last year, initial figures show around £12,000 was raised, which the club will distribute throughout the year to worthy causes.

The club’s next fundraising event will be The Santa Sleigh collections at local supermarkets. Should you wish to know more about Swindon Lions Club please do not hesitate to contact them on www.president@swindonlions.org.uk.

Once again, our sincere thanks and see you next year.

Maurice Watson Community Officer Swindon Lions Club

Facts of Jesus

I should like to respond to your correspondent Malcolm Swift.

He bemoans the absence of Christmas Nativity cards. By implication he appears to accept the nativity story of Jesus as matter of sound historical fact. But what are the facts?

There are no valid historical sources for the biography of Jesus. The New Testament documents, in particular the Synoptic Gospels, are not valid primary source documents. In addition, they are often contradictory in their claims e.g. the genealogies of Jesus are contradictory (Matt.1.6:16 and Luke 3.23:31). Further, the alleged relevant secondary sources are replete with interpolations and outright forgery, e.g. the writings of Josephus.

It is for the above reasons that the early Christians did not celebrate the birth of Jesus. In some places such as Egypt, a date for the birth of Jesus was arbitrarily taken, favouring January 6, but there was no general consensus.

It was not until the 4th Century AD that Christmas was established as a feast of the church on the 25th of December.

We find then that the dates traditionally given for the biography of Jesus are quite arbitrary. More authentic sources are extant for the life of Alexander the Great, who lived 500 years earlier. The point is, that basis for the date of Jesus' nativity is myth and tradition - not history.

Therefore 'true' Christmas nativity cards have no factual validity. I suggest Malcolm Swift sticks with Santa and his reindeers. They too are the product of myth but they don't start wars!

Happy Solstice.

Larry Wright Burford Avenue Swindon

Cost of railway

After another embarrassing u-turn from David Cameron, the rise in rail fares will be capped at RPI inflation plus one percent for 2013 and 2014.

Embarrassing because a few weeks previously the Prime Minister forced Tory MPs to vote against Labour’s attempt to cap fare rises to one per cent above inflation from three percent.

This will prevent the chancellor from keeping a promise he made in the budget to rid the treasury of the £4bn a year it costs the taxpayer to subsidise rail fares.

Rail campaigners said rail franchising was unsustainable, with operators receiving far in excess of premiums they paid to the treasury. Companies paid £1.7bn in premiums to run services in the year April 2012 but received subsidies of £3.88bn, thus costing the taxpayer £2.7bn. The east coast line operated by the Government at a fraction of the subsidies paid to franchising companies.

Last year, Virgin received 3.6p per passenger mile, bringing them pre-tax profits of £41m, of which £29m went to shareholders. The east coast line received a net subsidy of 0.5p a passenger mile – no shareholder or owner’s profit to pay.

The west coast line fiasco could cost the taxpayer £40m in compensation payments following the mistakes made when evaluating the bids, mistakes not picked up by the department responsible, who, it has been claimed, had lost large numbers of its key staff due to the Government’s policy of sacking civil servants and outsourcing their jobs.

We will be seeing a lot more of this and it will cost!

M J Warner Groundwell Road, Swindon

Ditch fireworks

I admit I am biased, I disliked fireworks even as a child. After five days of them it has become too much.

Surely with modern technology they can cascade without the infernal noise that goes with them?

Not only animals, domestic and wild can be driven to distraction, but older people, especially those living on their own can suffer from the continual banging that goes on for hours. I am not against displays but letting off fireworks in urban gardens should be curtailed. If, along with a group of same-minded people, we paraded the streets blowing horns and beating drums saying that we celebrating the "Relief of Mafeking" we would soon be rounded up by council officials and police.

I just wonder how many realise that Bonfire Night records the dark days of history and religious hatred. Roman Catholics were arrested as far away as Northumberland and put to death.

Is it not time to ditch it for all time?

John Oliver Brooklands Avenue Swindon

A great show

On Saturday, November 3, I attended the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon to watch a play One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, an amateur show.

It was brilliantly played, not one weak actor in it. My husband and I drove from Cardiff to see it and it was well worth the trip.

Mrs G Agius Cardiff