IS it not perhaps a little ironic the excellent Walking Woman bronze sculpture outside the Fenwick store is located in one of the very few high streets in the country which is not pedestrianised.

Talks were supposed to take place in February between councillors Mike Lilley and Kevin Bentley with regard to traffic restrictions in Colchester High Street.

Did these talks take place and if so what was the outcome?

Councillor Tim Young must be one of the few people in the town who thinks that the market is a success and that it is going from strength to strength.

I’m sorry but that is not my perception.

Culver Street West, with quite a few traders who have shunned the market, has much more atmosphere.

A far better plan would be to move all the stalls back to this street and make it pedestrian only on market days.

Whose ridiculous idea was it to allow traffic to use this street up to noon (and later) on Fridays and Saturdays, the busiest shopping days of the week?

Norman Bailey Cambridge Road, Colchester

  • Statues bear no relevance to town

Call me short-sighted if you like but I fail to see what connection to the town or residents of Colchester is to be found in the two new statues outside Fenwick.

Indeed, the same could be said of the rusty elephants at the top of the high street.

They all look like accidents waiting to happen.

Cllr Pat Moore Yorick Road, West Mersea

  • Time to rethink spending priorities

Can anyone tell me whether our councils are here to do the will of the people who pay their salaries, or are they in place to come up with all the hairbrained schemes that come into their heads at our expense.

They are schemes people, for the most part, did not want.

I refer to the cycle/pedestrian path in Wivenhoe that caused the people of that place much heartache, the cycle/pedestrian path in Myland Road and the bridge over Balkerne Hill which will probably be dangerous to either walkers or cyclists.

Heaven knows what all these schemes have cost in all but none of them were needed.

Then there is Firstsite, the councils’ favourite baby, which they have spent millions on from its inception until today when they are still pumping £1million per year into to keep it going.

This week my husband received his new rates bill for £2,000 per year, which, as pensioners is about one tenth of our total income.

We would not mind this amount if we knew this was not being wasted on the above mentioned, but was going towards health, schools or the elderly.

Pat White Leiden Road, West Bergholt

The wasteland proposed once for a new Tesco has now been a blot on the Manningtree landscape for so long perhaps it can apply to be a World Heritage Site and acquire central government funding. There might be Roman coins underneath which would give an incentive to start digging.

What a waste of space, to be left with this, while attractive and productive green fields are being snatched for luxury house building.

C. Joseph Lydgate, Lawford

  • Is every alternative view Far Right?

After reading the usual what I would call far left rant by Dr Tony Sullivan, it seems every thing he and his cronies don’t agree with automatically becomes far right.

Not middle ground, not right , but far right.

As he says at the end, don’t let the racists and fascists divide us.

If you don’t agree with him, you know what he thinks about you.

John Birch Colchester Road, West Bergholt

  • Marching against NHS funds injustice

Recently a contingent of Clacton Labour Party marched with first the people of Clacton against the threatened closure of the minor injuries unit.

A week later we were in London marching with the people holding our NHS together.

The turnout was over 250,000 people from doctors, nurses and healthcare workers from all over England with a tale of injustice being done by insufficient funding to the National Health Service.

Fight with us, it is our NHS.

Gary McNamara Old Road, Clacton

  • Thanks for help after accident

I WAS knocked off my bicycle on Monday, March 13 on the roundabout at the end of Holland-on-Sea seafront and ended up with serious facial injuries.

I would like to thank all the following people for looking after me on that day.

It is a day I want to forget as quickly as possible but these kind people made a very bad situation bearable.

To the two chaps from National Grid who stopped until the fire brigade arrived, took my bike for me to my friend’s house and raised the alarm with her so she could be with me and then go and notify my husband.

To the fire brigade, ambulance and paramedics.  

To the policeman who helped sort the situation out.

A special thank you to all the staff at Colchester General Hospital for their kindness and attentiveness. Likewise all the staff at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford where I was referred to have an operation.
Lastly to my friend Carole for all the running around she has done for me in the past week.

I hope to get back to work as soon as possible and wish you all the very best.

Dee Weakes Prince Philip Avenue, Clacton

  • Gridlock near the station is nothing new, Mr Goss

Revelations from Martin Gross informing the motorist certain areas of Colchester have become gridlocked begs the question: Where has this man and many other officials been for the past decade?

His observations indicate, along with others, how out of touch with reality they are and are not in tune with Essex motorists.

As with many problems with Colchester officials, nothing changes.

Brian Love Gentian Court, Braiswick, Colchester