Letters: 31, March 2016

Please stop biker yobs

I live in Warmsworth and for the past two years we’ve had hoards of illegal motorcyclists often 10 at a time on off road motorcycles, and/or quad bikes, tearing down the Lords Head Lane, Edlington Lane, driving down the pavements, cutting corners on public footpaths, tearing up the green, driving on the grass verges, going three abreast down the road, speeding and pulling wheelies. They come between the hours of 11am to 3.30pm usually every Sunday but sometimes on a Saturday and always on a bank holiday. You would think that armed with such specific information, surely to God somebody would inform the police. I do. Every week for the past six months I have reported religiously the activities of these reckless individuals who are risking not only their own lives but those of others. And herein lies the problem.

Aside from getting a police crime number that’s about the sum total of what happens. The police, cannot give chase to illegal motorcyclists as it will put them in harms way and that of the rider. They cannot block them off, they do not have the resources to wait for them or a risk assessment on a suitable place to apprehend these illegal motorcyclists and the motorcyclists know it.

What then is the solution if you cannot expect to be helped by the police? Wait for somebody to be run over and killed? Maybe if they used all the money they are currently collecting for speed awareness courses and actually put it into local community programmes to catch speeding illegal motorcyclists, then am sure they would have ample resources. As it is, I am doing my bit - why aren’t the police doing theirs?

As it stands ,no matter what rhetoric comes from the conversations I have had about this problem, the fact remains that these irresponsible, down-right dangerous idiots are terrorising our streets and the police stand impotent.

What is happening?

Can anyone enlighten myself and others just what is happening to this town?

The papers are always showing photos of the elected mayor and printing the nonstop dribble coming from the civic headquarters about the FARRRS link road, the rail college and the utter verbal rubbish about how many homes were built in the last 12 months (1,000+).

Can we have the facts on what is in the pipeline after April, i.e. job cuts, reduction in the key services? If they cut the funding in the cleansing department any more we will be walking knee deep in litter and dog muck - and how many of the top managers are getting out with golden handshakes before their pension pots are reduced, you can guarantee that the employees on the £15/20,000 salary will not be given the same opportunity to jump ship. The link road only goes halfway to the airport, the rail college has not started being constructed, and if it is a fact about the 1,000 homes built last year, then the mayor should be down in Westminster advising the Tories how to do the home construction numbers. I thought Cameron and his cronies were unbeatable when it came to spin, but Doncaster council you’re running a close second.

Mrs Betty Hartnell

Westminster Crescent, Intake

Please stand in election

Last week’s Free Press saw a great Peter Davies column ‘Straight Talking’, over the long suffering town’s bus passengers and then his very strong words against the Sheffield City region devolution - I must admit, nobody sounds keen on these ideas/proposals.

With a mayoral election looming again next year I do hope, with many others, that Peter Davies put himself forward again.

He is the only candidate who is capable of getting near to ousting a Labour mayor, who is whipped into place by higher Labour bolshies for their political gain and not the full interests of Doncaster.

Two things I would like to see at the next election is what UKIP did and back the candidate with the most chance of winning and don’t split the voting and work together for Doncaster.

The other point is that we have an independent body over seeing the vote count and not a room full of DMBC workers.

Mr Lionel Overson

Childers Street, Hyde Park

Can you help RAF project?

I’m recording the history of the two redundant RAF airfields at Finningley and Lindholme.

I am trying to record the building of the Radar station at Lindholme. I’m looking for information from when the station was built, who the builders were and the under ground system of tunnels, bunkers, etc.

I am also recording information on the Lindholme Ghost, ‘Lindholme Willey’, if any readers have experienced seeing the ghost, I would like to hear from them as all the information collected may go a long way to understanding the legend.

If any readers have any information of the two airfields including airshow programmes, station, newspapers, Lindholme Centurion and the Finningley Observer, I would be very grateful for any information that could be added to the records.

Mr J Harris

1 Willow Drive, Edlington, DN12 1ST

Anger over traffic chaos

I had the unfortunate experience of driving (crawling!) along Bawtry Road towards Doncaster recently. A journey which usually takes about 10 minutes outside of peak times.

The traffic began queuing from the Toby Carvery Hotel with no indication of road works or hold ups anywhere. After nearly 40 minutes we arrived at the traffic lights at the Dome corner, here I noticed that the traffic on the nearside lane was moving at a much faster rate. Upon reaching the set of lights controlling the crossing for the busses I could see what was happening.

In front was a small road works warning triangle next to a yellow information sign indicating how long the road works are going to be in place.

In front of that the 3 lanes leading to the racecourse roundabout were coned off into one lane.

The nearside traffic forcing its way into the outer lane aggravating the congestion problem. Imagine my serious frustration turning into anger when I eventually reached the racecourse roundabout to find that the road works were actually on Leger Way and had no impact on Bawtry Rd at all.

To top it all there were 4 ‘workers’ standing next to a parked JCB (or equivalent) appearing to be doing nothing!

The person responsible for the planning of these works needs to get out of the office and visit the site to see exactly what chaos is being caused. Had there been a warning much further up the road explaining that congestion may occur at the racecourse roundabout I would have chosen another route instead of wasting a large amount of time and fuel adding to the pollution.

Is it any wonder the town centre is not thriving?

Mr P Bond

Rossington

Impact of clock changes

For most people, the clocks changing this weekend provided a temporary inconvenience of an hour’s less sleep.

However, for many of the 67,630 people with dementia in Yorkshire and the Humber it can affect their sleep routines and may lead to them waking at the wrong time or struggling to get to sleep. Disrupted sleep is just one of the many challenges people with dementia and their carers face.

Perhaps your readers would consider joining the 1.4 million people who have become ‘Dementia Friends’ to learn more about the condition and the small ways they can help?

To find out more visit dementiafriends.org.uk

Judith King,

Alzheimer’s Society Regional Operations Manager for Yorkshire & the Humber

Celebrating achievement

It is remarkable that, as her 90th birthday approaches, Her Majesty the Queen is still working so passionately for our country, and supporting the work of hundreds of charitable organisations.

In recognition of her incredible efforts, I would like to invite readers to be part of an historic online commemoration at www.TheQueensBirthdayBook.com

The Queen’s Birthday Book will form a huge digital collection of messages, photos and film to mark Her Majesty’s special day on 21 April 2016.

Anyone can contribute for free by adding their birthday messages and personal stories of meeting the Queen, and they can also share photos and videos of their street parties and celebrations for her official birthday in June. One of my own special memories is performing for the Queen and other members of the royal family at Her Majesty’s 16th birthday celebrations at Windsor Castle, a night which I hope she remembers as fondly as I do.

As well as a great digital archive for future generations to look back on, we’ve created this book to raise vital funds for the charities the Queen is patron of, through the sale of specially issued commemorative medals from the London Mint Office. I do hope people will join me in wishing Her Majesty a very happy 90th birthday by sharing their messages, photos, drawings and videos, while also helping to raise money for some very deserving causes.

Dame Vera Lynn

West Sussex