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Letters

Letters to the Whistler

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Dear Editor
I would like to know if anyone who reads the super The Whistler (which I do) could help me.

I would like to know how many grandparents out there are denied access to their grandchildren for either a breakup in the family or any other reason. My husband and I have had to go through this, with expensive court case, have got access now but the mental strain is very hard. If you could contact me, would love to set up a tea or coffee morning with maybe some publicity to let people know what we go through.

My name is Celia Steer, Flat D, 41 Buckingham Place, Brighton.
Phone no 01273-776337 or email at Silverboots3@yahoo.co.uk. Thank you.

Celia Steer, Buckingham Place

Dear Residents of West Hill
Late last year I attended a meeting with the Parking Services team and the Assistant Sustainable Transport Director, Mark Prior at Hove Town Hall. I was given a parking report that contains the end-of-year summaries for all the income from various sectors including permits, parking tickets, parking vouchers etc. This information will be very useful to us when trying to understand where and how improvements can be made within the system.

I spent a couple of hours putting proposals to the parking team about issues that you have raised, some of which were re-instating some single yellow lines to ease evening parking, free parking on Sundays in some areas and free Christmas and bank holidays. I also requested that Traffic Enforcement Officers continue to check resident bays until 8pm as complaints are now quite common that permit bays are often used by non-permit holders after 7pm. As the bays are enforceable until 8pm they should be checked until that time.

A new problem has occurred since the new rules were introduced to allow residents with driveways to park across them but are able to ask that other users do not. When the legislation was introduced I told the Council that this would appear to be illegal and unenforceable. The bay outer marking lines have been allowed to run the full length of the parking area. This means that when residents park outside their own driveway, they should display a parking voucher on their vehicle. At the moment, due to the lack of clarification via the confusing road markings, and the apparent lack of knowledge of the Traffic Enforcement Officers, residents are furious. We are dealing with the matter and hope to have it resolved soon.

As a member of the B&H Transport Partnership I see the various proposals suggested to ease the traffic flow in and around the town. The biggest problem I see is the strong opposition to the motor car. It seems that the majority of the members would like to see the car banned from the town and make room for more bicycle lanes, bus lanes and more areas for pedestrians. This may be fine in the distant future but at the moment I do not think that any major change is possible. Please contact me with you queries and problems via our new email address theppp@gmx.com or phone me on 07768 002328 between 11am and 6pm.

Steve Percy, (chairman) Peoples Parking Protest

Letters

Letters to the Whistler

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Dear Editor
Thanks for letting me know about 10:10 in the last issue. I signed up right away and sent the following email to 10 of my friends via the 10:10 website – it’s easy!

Everyone’s looking for something to do about climate change. What’s needed is something straightforward, immediate and meaningful. I think I’ve found it. Today I joined thousands of individuals and organisations from across the country to unite behind one simple idea: that by working together we can achieve a 10% cut in carbon emissions during 2010. It’s called 10:10, and everyone can be a part of it. Cutting 10% in one year is a bold target, but for most of us it’s an achievable one, and is in line with what scientists say we need right now. By signing up to 10:10 we’re not just promising to reduce our own emissions – we’re becoming part of a national drive to hit this ambitious goal country-wide. In our homes, in our workplaces, our schools and our hospitals, our galleries and football clubs and universities, we’ll be backing each other up as we take the first steps on the road to becoming a low-carbon society. To find out more and sign up go to www.1010uk.org

If everyone of The Whistler’s 4000 readers sent this email to 10 of their friends, that would be 40,000 more people signed up.

Jane Sinclair, Seven Dials

Dear Residents of West Hill
On 3 November Reg Woodhouse, my Vice Chairman, and I attended a meeting of the newly formed Brighton & Hove Transport Partnership. I had been invited by Councillor Geoffrey Theobald to join the TP to represent the interests of the PPP. Several people attended, representing various interests – a Sussex Police officer, Roger French of the Brighton & Hove Bus Company, a Car Club owner, and various councillors.

The city’s needs relating to transport have to be brought up to the standards required by the Government. The aim of the TP is to achieve these standards by collating and using information from various partnerships and independent organisations. There will be concerns regarding the loss of parking bays that are being removed to make spaces to park the Car Club cars in Brighton. A recent publication suggests that nearly 1000 cars have been removed from the roads since the Car Clubs have been operating. I find this hard to believe as it would have reduced the waiting list for parking permits by the same amount, which I know not to be the case. It is more likely that people who could not afford a car in the first place are responsible for most of the hiring.

If you have queries or concerns with regard to any other matter I will do my best to answer your query. Please contact me on 07768 002328 between 11am and 6pm, or email me: Steve@system-electronics.freeserve.co.uk

Steve Percy, (chairman) People’s Parking Protest

Letters

Letters to The Whistler

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Dear Editor
I was interested to read your article, Chemical Nasties (Aug/Sept edition) warning of the dangers of sodium lauryl sulphate in cosmetic and household products; also that in the US, children’s foaming bath products carry a health warning. This reminded me of an incident in the late 80s when I worked for a public relations firm on an account for a well-known pharmaceutical company. One of the products was a new bubble bath for children. I suffered a fainting fit when I removed the lid to test the fragrance. My colleagues witnessed this and, as parents of young children, were quite shocked. The product was removed from the room. Later, I saw it in the shops.

P. Collins, West Hill Road

Dear Residents of West Hill
Complaints about selfish parking have increased, especially in Buckingham Road. I have checked the roads in and around this central area and have noticed some very bad parking by motorists who do not seem to grasp the importance of tidy parking. All I can ask is, let’s try not taking two spaces unnecessarily.

The permit ratio is still being held at 1:1.2 and as a result of this parking spaces seem to be more available, except late at night and weekends. Parking before 8pm on permit bays by non-permit holders who take a chance on the traffic officer not coming back to check just before 8pm is on the increase. The general opinion is that unauthorised parking in a permit bay should be an immediate towable offence. I have been invited to attend a meeting with Austen Hunter of the Parking Management Team at the end of September. I have had a great deal of assistance from him with regard to parking issues and when we meet I have several issues to discuss with him.

The recent announcement by the Council to use a new legislation to deal with parking at dropped kerbs has raised some questions as to legality. At the moment double yellow lines across a driveway entrance prevents parking. It seems that the Council intends to allow parking at dropped kerbs outside residents’ premises unless they object. I do not see how legislation can be flexible. Either a line is enforceable or it is not. A white line, however, is usually a matter for County Councils. As I understand it, if a car is parked on a dropped kerb with a single white line it is basically an indication of required access and is only enforceable by the Police if an exit from your premises is required, but not for access.

If anyone needs clarification on dropped kerbs outside their premises or any other matter I will do my best to answer your query. Please contact me on 07768 002328 between 11am and 6pm.

Steve Percy, (chairman) Peoples Parking Protest

Letters

Letters to The Whistler

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Dear Editor
I should be grateful if, through your journal, I could express my thanks to the taxi driver who picked me up on 3 July at the garage near Hove station after I had severely twisted my knee and brought me home to West Hill. I paid for my journey but in fact, the driver had just knocked off and this was an act of kindness. He came from the Streamline taxi company.

Norma Hayworth, West Hill

Dear Residents
WHCA is fortunate to have two representatives on the Conservation Advisory Group, who work together in the interests of West Hill, Isla Robertson and Jim Gowans. The CAG objectives are to act as a reference group to advise the Council on the implementation of the Conservation Strategy, on major planning applications or Council proposals affecting Conservation areas, Listed Buildings and on the development of policies for the protection of the historic built environment. You can contact Isla and Jim through The Whistler or by writing to them care of WHCA at the West Hill Hall. Another distinguished local resident, Robert Gregory, is also part of the CAG Group, representing the Brighton Society.

Sylvia Alexander-Vine, Chair