'How to fix a few of Colchester's problems': Your Gazette Letters

1. Turn off half the street lights, i.e every other one.

2. Designated school buses only at schools. Pick up and drop off at out-of-town retail parks/park and rides.

3. Too many old people rattling in massive houses. Get out and make room for families. Redundant farmyards/houses with one or two old people living in them could easily be knocked down and developed into small cul-de-sac of affordable housing with little affect on local environment.

Bob Kavanagh Tye Road, Elmstead Market

• Memorial wall was built as mark of respect to war dead

The Avenue of Remembrance is not a forgotten Tribute to the Fallen of the First World War (Letters, December 7).

I must once again put the record straight on the subject of The Avenue of Remembrance, following the letter from Mr Ashby.

In 1933 The Avenue of Remembrance was opened, (The Bypass ) from the Greenstead roundabout to the junction of Lexden Road/London Road, at the time plaques were dedicated not only to the fallen men and women of the First World War but to “the Great and the Good” of Colchester, including a children’s section.

In 1998/9 following information received plaques were being offered for sale at a Military Fair and in a scrapyard, all remaining plaques were collected by the council and placed in safe keeping.

Cllr Christopher Arnold and me organised a committee under the chairmanship of successive mayors to look into the restoration of the avenue.

The plaques went on display in the town hall and residents were able to claim family plaques.

In time, the remaining ones were offered for sale. Contrary to reports no plaques were auctioned by the council.

A memorial wall was designed and built recording all the names on bronze in the original formation.

A rose garden, lawn and seats completed the picture, sited within the Avenue of Remembrance at the junction of Colne Bank Avenue/North Station Road.

The Lexden History Group is carrying out research with a view to publishing a book.

I have put together all the records held by Cllr Arnold and myself which will go in the local archives.

These include minutes of all the meetings (1998- 2006 ) chaired by the mayor of the day which record how the council worked with interested organisations such as the Royal British Legion. Guides, Scouts. Military and King Coels Kittens.

Money was raised and the wall built by students from the college, new sign boards were designed and made by members of the civic society.

Recently, the cabinet agreed to work with interested organisations to find suitable sites for the few remaining plaques which the council have in safe keeping.

With this in mind it has been suggested one is placed in the cabinet in the Mayoral Suite, a suggestion I welcome.

I can assure Mr Ashby the matter is in hand and all plaques are respected. A memorial wall was built, financed and dedicated with much respect and local support.

Following a recent item published in the Gazette another plaque has come to light.

Alderman Sonia Lewis Acland Avenue, Lexden

• Cancelled train does cause delay

Several weeks ago I wrote a letter deploring Abellio Greater Anglia’s frequent practice of refusing to honor its Delay Repay promise when its trains were cancelled.

Its professed reasoning was because there were other trains available within 30 minutes there was no delay to the journey.

Incredibly, one of your readers has defended this practice by arguing no delay occurs when a train is cancelled because unless the train actually moves there is no journey.

To its credit, not even Abellio Greater Anglia recognises this ridiculous argument as it includes cancellation as a basis for reimbursement.

But, to examine this reasoning further, let’s suppose a train packed with passengers is awaiting its departure time at Liverpool Street.

It waits and waits, the passengers growing more and more restless, those standing becoming more and more exhausted.

Finally, after waiting for an hour the announcement comes over the tannoy the train is cancelled.

Pursuant to the argument submitted, because the train never moved no-one suffered any delay because none of them actually made a journey and Abellio Greater Anglia would owe no reimbursement to any of them.

Fortunately, in the real world, that argument would never be seriously asserted.

Alan Smithee Kelvedon