EACH week brings fresh news of Salisbury and South Wilts’ dysfunctional political system.

Paul Dorey (Postbag, November 27) succinctly listed the catalogue of local planning failures that have blighted the fabric of our city over recent years. From the disaster of the Churchfields Industrial Estate and the extravagance of the Bourne Hill offices, we now face endless argument over parking and, most recently of all, the contentious proposal for a £500 million tunnel at Stonehenge.

The promised tunnel is not only excessively expensive but carries with it a possible threat to the water systems around Salisbury. The proposed length of the tunnel ignores the fact that the Stonehenge Heritage Site has recently been deemed considerably more extensive in the light of recent archaeological findings.

We are repeatedly told by our political representatives in Westminster that there is no alternative to such a tunnel. The truth, however, is that a viable alternative has been openly mooted since 2003.

This alternative, comprising a carefully thought through bypass around Salisbury and key villages, is likely to cost only a fifth of the price of the proposed tunnel. Furthermore, it would significantly and swiftly reduce the flow of unwanted and polluting traffic through the city centre. The claim that ‘There Is No Alternative’ (TINA) comes across as a political device to prevent public debate. It lacks candour, coherence and a proper regard for the views of local people.

Our local councillors are a dedicated group of people who are committed to the interests of Salisbury and their fellow citizens.

Three things, however, undermine their best efforts. First, the social, political and economic geography of South Wilts is quite distinct from that of North Wiltshire. A growing chorus of complaint against what is seen as the alien influence of Trowbridge over the affairs of Salisbury and South Wilts is regularly voiced in these pages.

Nothing, however, is ever done about it.

Second, the absurdly narrow parish boundaries of our city council and area board make it virtually impossible to have a vital dialogue over shared concerns with our friends and colleagues in neighbouring towns and villages. Third, we have not yet evolved a coherent and effective system of public discussion of these problems. Sporadic consultations on single issues – superstores and housing developments – become fig leaves that conceal the true depth of our democratic deficit.

The consequence is that critical decisions affecting the people of Salisbury are increasingly taken elsewhere on the spurious grounds that ‘there are no alternatives.’ The Scottish referendum prompted a heady rush of prime-ministerial promises to the regions of England in support of local autonomy. The principles and promises that are deemed desirable for Manchester and Birmingham should be applied equally to regions such as South Wiltshire.

Unless and until this is achieved, the citizens of Salisbury and district will continue to suffer the damaging consequences of our dysfunctional model of local government. There has to be an alternative!

John Potter Salisbury n

 

THE government’s announcement of plans to dual and tunnel the A303 is welcome news – let’s hope it happens this time!

Shrewton, along with other villages has been badly affected by the closure of the A344 past Stonehenge – a big increase in the numbers of vehicles running through the high street and up London Road towards Larkhill.

The high street is narrow and twisting with a 2.5-tonne weight restriction (not always observed), a 30mph speed limit and no pavement at all along half its length and no pavement up London Road either.

Being a pedestrian on these roads is a hazardous activity. Whilst our volunteer Speed Watch team do a wonderful job they have only occasional access to the police cameras.

It is no wonder that residents have taken matters into their own hands by building a fake camera and getting up a petition for a footpath to get their children to school in safety.

Wiltshire Council needs to act to help Shrewton become a safer village for the people who live there by more rigorous enforcement of the speed limit, by putting in traffic calming measures such as speed humps or build-outs giving priority in one direction and by providing pavements the length of the high street and London Road.

Claire Goodey, Shrewton