In response to a letter in ‘The Observer’ October 18 from James Edwardson
Yes, I would love to know where Julian Knight stands on ‘No Deal’. With thousands of jobs at risk if Brexit really happens, particularly from Jaguar Land Rover, this should be of paramount importance.
Caroline Spelman has indicated her concerns but we have a deafening silence from Julian Knight. I have noticed in the past that he is always active where there is a populist fight, but he never challenges his party line.
Although Caroline Spelman has admitted that she is a convinced Remainer she, unfortunately, still goes along with the current Tory mandate but is honest about her sentiments. If Knight has any feelings on this subject it would be interesting to know what they are.
It would seem that, in the current chaos, another referendum is essential. There was not a large turnout by the voting electorate at the last referendum, and the elderly Brexiteers will have lost some of their number in the ensuing years while more of our enlightened youngsters are now eligible to vote.
Please, Mr Knight, let us know where you really stand.
Valerie Howard
Solihull
The recent refurbishment of the footpaths at Solihull Station looks good. However the planning team, could have also planned a Drop & go option for the hundreds of personal cars and taxis getting to the station approach taxing their family members or customers.
There used to be few spaces with no markings which could be used for Drop & Go, which are now marked as disabled or staff parking. There is also a big space behind the marked smoking booth, which now reads “NO PARKING” in bold.
The place is becoming such chaos for cars to manoeuvre in and out of this area.
As a common man living in Solihull I can think of :-
1) Relocate the smoking booth to a slightly distanced place. The aim is to discourage smoking and not encourage passive smoking and children and youth watching youngsters and elders smoking as they approach the station.
2) Provide a couple of spaces as \ drop & go facility.
3) There is an open park opposite to the station. Part of this can be converted to a Drop & go facility.
Solihull Voice
About a month ago my wife was rushed into hospital following an accident at home, and I spent several hours until she was settled into a ward ready for an operation the next day.
I drove home in the early hours, and part of my journey between Heartlands and my home to the south of Solihull took me along Lode Lane. A few days later I received not one, but two, Penalty Charge Notices from Solihull Council, because apparently I’d gone into a bus lane which, even though it appears to be just one bus lane, it seems to be split into two parts.
On the whole journey the only vehicles I saw were two ambulances near to the hospital, and a police car, nothing else and certainly no buses!
I checked the signs the next time I drove along Lode Lane a day or two later, and it’s not immediately obvious that it’s a 24-hour bus lane – all the others in the nearby area have restricted times which are clearly shown, e.g. 7am to 7pm, or 7am to 10am, etc., so this one appears to be the only 24 hour one in the whole area, which seems crazy when no buses are running.
I checked the TfWM website and, as far as I can see, there are no buses running along Lode Lane between about 11:30pm and 6:00am.
So it seems this is just a blatant money grabbing exercise by Solihull council. By the way, don’t waste your time making representations to them – I made some on the day I received the Notices and, even though they suggest that a reply will be sent within 10 days, I have heard absolutely nothing in the intervening weeks.
Steve Hall
Cheswick Green
