A pathetic response (From Malvern Gazette)

A pathetic response

11:36am Friday 7th September 2007 in Letters

Herefordshire Council's response to the closure of the railway bridge in Colwall is pathetic.

This bridge has been used as a heavy lorry route since before the last war, to the Malvern Springs bottling plant and also to the Kia Ora factory in Broadwood Drive and then latterly to the Tesco packaging plant. There was money put aside to strengthen bridges on heavy lorry routes, why has this not been done here?

Two years or more ago, temporary traffic lights were put in place because of the state of the bridge then. Why are there no plans in place to replace the bridge now. What has the council been doing in the meantime It would appear the council is looking at a 12 months to two year closure.

This village is still reeling from the closure of the Post Office. The closure of the bridge will bring about the death of a once thriving village which many of us over the years have nurtured by encouraging businesses to set up to provide jobs for local people.

All this is being put at risk by an arrogant and uncaring council, which has no thought of planning for the future, or the wellbeing of its inhabitants, unlike in Worcestershire. When the same thing happened at Upton there was relatively swift action.

Marcus Allen, Ballard Close, Colwall.