This week's Bromsgrove and Droitwich Standard letters.....

Electric community shuttle welcomed by rail group

THE NEWS of a new electric bus service to link Bromsgrove Station, town centre and residential areas (Standard, February 19), is very welcome, and the district council is to be congratulated on its initiative.

As the vaccines continue to roll out and life begins during the next few months to return to some form of normality, improved connectivity by public transport can play a significant role in increasing the number of visitors to the town and thus revitalising the local economy.

Bromsgrove Station, redeveloped at considerable expense in 2016, and with improved services to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the University of Birmingham and New Street Station introduced in 2018, is an under-utilised asset of the town.

The new electric bus service will complement the several bus services travelling already between the station and the Town Centre, which will encourage more people to use all the services.

I trust that some of the £250,000 ringfenced funds will be invested also in installing real time screens at both the railway station and the town centre bus station to show passengers the times of the different buses arriving and departing and what destinations the different routes service.

And I trust also that large scale maps can be displayed in the current bus shelters at the railway station, showing which buses can be caught to visit the town’s attractions, such as The Avoncroft Museum, The Housman Trail, The Norton Collection Museum, The Royal Hunters Walks, Sanders Park, St Johns Church, The Tardebigge Flight et al.

If the council promotes the town’s attractions to potential visitors and how they can reach the town by rail and makes it easy once they have arrived at the station for them to find and travel to the attractions, they will come – particularly this year. Simples!

Nick Taylor,

Honorary Treasurer,

BARRUP (Bromsgrove and Redditch Rail User Partnership)

Well done Boris for taking time over lockdown easing

WELL done Boris Johnson for not giving in to Tory backbenchers pressure for an early lifting of lockdown.

The vaccination programme is clearly a game changer so it is only right that any lifting is based upon data rather than rebels in his own party.

If anything, this is an opportunity for opposition MPs to unite with Boris in putting the national interest first.

So Keir Starmer, how about you stop playing and start playing ball?

I will believe it when I see it!

Geoffrey Brooking

Recipes From My Travels – perfect for the kitchen noticeboard

I WANTED to share some feedback regarding your newspaper.

I often find myself really looking forward to Paul James’ recipes in the Bromsgrove Standard as they so easy and simple to follow.

I always cut them out and stick them on my kitchennotice board.

Long may these continue!

Charlotte Miller

Don’t be hard on maternity unit – there is a pandemic on!

IN defence of the maternity unit at Worcestershire Royal Hospital and the Acute Trust (Standard, February 19).

First of all the trust, like the rest of the NHS, has been battling a global pandemic and saving hundreds of lives in the process.

Secondly, the maternity unit, like maternity units in the rest of the NHS is suffering from a severe shortage of staff.

The CQC knows this and I feel, similar to its criticism of University Hospitals Birmingham (the QE), they are failing to see the big picture and sticking the boot in simply to justify their own existence.

Name and Address Supplied

Backing Living Streets’ Manifesto for Walking to keep pavements clear

DURING the pandemic, people have rediscovered the simple act of walking – the oldest, cheapest and greenest transport there is.

It has allowed us to stay healthy, happy and connected to those around us.

But lots of us still struggle with narrow, cluttered, uneven pavements, crossings that prioritise cars rather than people and growing numbers of speeding vehicles.

That’s why I support Living Streets’ Manifesto for Walking, which calls for candidates in our upcoming election to pledge to end pedestrian deaths and injuries on roads, tackle air pollution, make school streets safe and make walking easier by cutting the clutter on our pavements.

It is time we redesigned our streets around people not cars.

That way we can all continue to enjoy the benefits of walking and healthier, happier communities.

S Briar

Look after those with Raynaud’s as lockdown end looms

WITH THE promise of an end of lockdown looming, I urge your readers to continue to check in on loved ones.

One in six people live with an incurable condition called Raynaud’s that causes painful attacks when it’s cold, so winter can be agonising.

It’s likely you know someone with it but may not realise it.

As the only charity supporting people with Raynaud’s, Scleroderma and Raynaud’s UK is encouraging people to organise a virtual catch-up with friends and family to make sure they are okay and, at the same time, raise money to help us continue our vital work.

We would love you to grab your favourite mug, get online together and donate £5 by texting CATCHUP to 70450.

Sue Farrington

Chief Executive

Scleroderma and Raynaud’s UK

EDITOR’S COMMENT

THE NHS’ vaccine roll-out has by far been the most successful weapon in the Covid-19 fight since the pandemic began.

It also poses more questions as to why the Government did not leave Test and Trace to the health service, rather than tendering it out to consultants at a cost of £2.75million-a-day – and it’s still not working properly.

When all this is over, a full investigation is needed into that and into lucrative PPE contracts awarded to companies with links to members of the Government.