Moorland could be used for solar farms

YOUR COVERAGE of the planned solar panels project at Foxwalk Farm was intriguing.

The planning encroachment of our green belt continues apace.

I am not convinced it is a national concern that green energy in the manner of solar panels is a highly placed imperative.

When in the Second World War, the ‘Dig For Victory’ campaign was in full swing, even railway cuttings were turned into vegetable patches.

If this green energy campaign is so high in the national interest, then why adopt a piecemeal solution covering green belt areas which are often the fresh air lungs of local communities?

If the national interest for energy in the future is so high on our survival scale, then perhaps the time has come for the Government to allocate very large green areas such as for example Dartmoor and Exmoor for solar coverage where maximising vast areas of scrubland well away from local communities and houses can be converted.

If the folk who install these systems claim after 40 years they can be reversed and even when installed nature can survive around them, then surely the same objections will be mitigated no matter how big the area of coverage. If NIMBY-ism is an accusation, then moorland is far superior in acreage return than relatively small plots across the nation affecting localised green belt.

The same objections against using moorland can surely hold value for green belt areas near human habitation.

Also national electricity input from such large areas can be advantageous to the nation as a whole rather than piecemeal projects which offer no advantage in returns to locals directly as these are nationally shared by major cities well away from the green belt sites.

Graham Dallas,

Bromsgrove

Councillors seem to be untouchable now

FIRSTLY, thank you to the Standard editor for allowing readers to use this platform to have their say.

And secondly a big thank-you to all the litter pickers and volunteers in Bromsgrove.

Well, the dust has now settled after the district elections and it was a great effort by all those who voted for change.

The next step is even a larger task and this can only happen by the will of the councillors who have been put there. We’ve now gone two months since the election and nothing has really happened.

Artrix is still closed. The Edinburgh Mill shop is a disgrace to the town centre and to top it all, the county and district council staff are still working from home.

I would urge all residents to demand councillors inform the public of their availability so we can express our concern to them on a fair basis.

I’m constantly informed that councillors don’t even bother answering mail these days. We need to demand more from them so issues don’t fester.

Councillors have become untouchable.

Of course we’ve still got the levelling up money. Rubbish, we don’t need it. We need a think-tank of ordinary people to help solve Bromsgrove problems.

And this goes for other waste-of-money ideas, like bonfire nights and consultants. Why do we always have old and dirty buses running in Bromsgrove?

As a district council we should be knocking on the county council’s doors constantly as they are not providing us with the service that we expect.

We could go on forever but one item stuck out for me after the election and that was the happy faces of the chair and vice-chair of the council.

I wondered if they realise ordinary people don’t get a chance for this appointment so treasure it as you will be forgotten just as quick as you were put there.

Athol Deakin

Bromsgrove

We must act to save station ticket office

YOUR readers may be aware of the West Midlands Railways’ proposal, announced last week, to close the ticket office at Bromsgrove Station.

Yes, one can buy tickets online and the station currently has two ticket machines, making it relatively straightforward for people who have digital devices – for example, computers or smartphones – to buy tickets for destinations on the Cross City and Hereford – Birmingham New Street services

However, not everyone has, or can afford, a digital device, and, even if they have, may not have the capability of using it to deal with more complex matters.

Each time I go into the station I see people of all ages asking the clerk for advice on broader ticketing enquiries and on more complicated journeys eg ‘which is the cheapest and most convenient way to travel to a destination in London? Or ‘should they go via the services from New Street, Moor Street or Worcester Foregate Street?

The clerk has instant access to the relevant information via the ticket office’s online and real time customer information connections and can offer knowledgeable advice on the best way to undertake the journey.

Thus the ticket office is an invaluable resource and needs to be kept open for the benefit of both the people of, and visitors to, Bromsgrove.

Please support the campaign to do so by emailing, at your very earliest opportunity, either [email protected], or [email protected] or our MP Sajid Javid – [email protected] – or by writing to Ian McConnell, Chief Executive, West Midlands Rail, 134, Edmund Street, Birmingham, B3 2ES.

Nick Taylor,

Stakeholder Liaison Partner,

BARRUP (Bromsgrove and Redditch Rail User Partnership)

EDITOR’S COMMENT 

THE CLOSURE of railway station ticket offices will impact on so many people, especially the elderly and vulnerable who may not be able to or want to pay online or using a credit or debit card.

The same arguments apply to those against a cashless society – everyone should be given the choice to pay for items how they wish.

Less staff will also make stations less safe in the event of crime or other healthcare emergencies.

Make sure you have your say.

We welcome your letters…..

What pressing issues do you feel need addressing in Bromsgrove, Rubery, Droitwich and South Birmingham? Send us your views to [email protected] or [email protected]