There has to be a certain amount of
sympathy to the comments by Gary Stelling, who expressed his anger at pensioners
travelling just one stop on buses and about buses in Blackpool being so full (The Gazette, August 21) .
Sadly, though, Mr Stelling missed the real issue here, that being one which means that people such as myself – regular disabled
passengers – are unable to use the newer
accessible buses which were provided for us.
I am a user of the 11 route from Bispham to either Cleveleys northbound, or St Annes southbound, both for long length or even three stop journeys, as I am mobility
disabled.
Increasingly, however am unable to access the vehicles because the seats supposedly available for elderly or disabled people are filled with people who are neither local nor fitting the category of needing seats from which they will not move, and standing is not an option I am physically able to consider.
The free passes which are now available do mean that those visitors arriving in
Blackpool are using buses as they can not use the trams to go north or south, and the 7, 11, 14 and 16 routes are taking a severe
hammering through this.
The Government acted to provide access for people, but they must also for once
provide the financial support for their
action.
Stephen Brookes
Disability Consultant
Bispham

n I am fed up of reading about the the money being lost with the new free bus service for pensioners.
Does our council not go out and look at why buses are empty? I am a regular bus user and the other day stood at the bus stop when two Number 11 buses arrived at the same time. One had nobody on it, the other was only half full.
This isn't the first time it has happened. I was in a coffee bar on Market Street,
Blackpool the other day and saw several buses operating the same service, running at the same time.
Name and address supplied

Road layout poses danger
I was surprised to see the road scheme at Layton is being
accepted (The Gazette August 22).
At the Park Ward PACT meeting on August 6, an elderly lady tried to raise this issue and told the meeting she had almost been run over when she tried to cross the road outside of Layton Institute.
She was told she could not raise it there, it could be raised at
Layton PACT by Layton residents, or at the Area Forum at Marton.
People think it is safe to cross when the bus has stopped because the cars are stopped behind the bus, but there are always some idiot drivers who are too impatient to wait and go around the bus.
What is needed are more signs to prompt the drivers, such as the ones at Cleveleys.
Signs saying pedestrian friendly area, Give Way to Pedestrians. The crossing points also need signs.
Surely we should not have to wait for someone getting killed
before action is taken.
Terry Bennett
Dinmore Avenue
Grange Park


Improve town car parking
I think it is wonderful that Blackpool has at last got a
department store again.
The shopping has been abysmal for years now hence the decline of the town, because it is the shops that attract the women and subsequently the men.
However, unless the parking situation is considerably
improved I fear all will be lost.
The exorbitant charges and over-exuberant traffic wardens do nothing to attract shoppers particularly when Deepdale at Preston has many High Street shops and free parking.
Then there is the wonderful Trafford Centre.
I appreciate you need petrol to get there but even this is cheaper than paying Blackpool car park charges.
Jean Mercer
Thornton
Call for poppy appeal helpers
The South Blackpool Branch of the Royal British Legion will shortly be preparing for their 2008 Poppy Appeal.
However, it is evident that we will be in need of volunteers to deliver Poppies to shops in the South Shore area and also pick up the collecting tins when the Appeal is over.
The required days would be during week commencing 20th October 2008 to deliver and to
collect during week commencing 10th November 2008.
If anyone with transport could spare a little time to help such an important appeal please contact our Poppy Appeal Organiser Mr Ron Morris on 836762
P G Swann
Hon. Secretary
South Blackpool Branch of the Royal British Legion
Care on ward sheer luxury
Several weeks ago, I was called away unexpectedly for a while, and I found myself staying in beautiful accommodation.
It was absolutely spotless, no sooner did you vacate your bed each day, and it was remade with clean crisp bedding. All the meals were al-la-carte, served hot and
delicious, although the wine list let it down.
I can not speak more highly of all the staff. They were all
smiling, polite and very caring.
Well you may be forgiven for thinking that I had been staying at somewhere like the DeVere, but in fact I was on Ward 5, Victoria Hospital.
So I would like to congratulate and thank the Ward Sister, Justine Hornby, and all the staff.
Mary Naylor
Doncaster Road, Blackpool