Waiting for trains is not necessarily a barren experience (‘Old stations used to make travelling a joy’, Observer January 18).
There are ever increasing numbers of volunteers in our West Midlands community who have formed groups to become “Friends of a station”, entering into a partnership with the railway company.
Friends of Olton Station is one such group. We are responsible for a number of planters and beds on the platform and in the waiting room in an effort to provide passengers with something to enjoy. The waiting room is also decorated at Christmas and there are a number of securely fastened hanging baskets on the front of Olton station from Spring until Autumn.
Olton station has recently been painted as well as CCTV being installed for the reassurance of passengers.
Judging by the comments some of the rail users make, we feel our efforts are appreciated. Call in at Olton station if you want to know more.
Geoff Taylor, Friends of Olton Station
S T Vaughan please look closer on your next trip by rail to Stratford-upon-Avon via the North Warwickshire Line; there may be no hanging baskets, but there are whitewashed stones and planters at Hall Green and Yardley Wood, tended by enthusiastic volunteers.
At the freshly painted Shirley station there is a heated waiting room and toilets, and the sole volunteer has tidied up the planters. Yes, Shirley was a splendid station not very long ago when it sported the wonderful signal box bedecked with its hanging baskets and surrounded by flower beds.
Alas it was dismantled in spite of local protest, petition, and campaign by MP etc, but at least we now have a first class footbridge with lifts.
Olton station on the main line sports some beautiful hanging baskets, so H&S have not yet deemed them enemy number one on their risk assessments.
Wendy Parker
Shirley
I think a good number of Solihull residents would agree with J. D Davies’s comments regarding members of the Solihull council planning committee.
For the most part, members do not listen or take into account the views of local residents. Nor are they open to investigating other (and usually more suitable) options. One can only wonder why.
The councillors are elected to serve and represent the views of the local residents, not follow some self-serving plan. I agree with J Davies that such councillors should not be supported or be re-elected – in fact some of them should have the grace to stand down!
J Bell
Solihull
Everyone is encouraged to do their regular exercise so I decided to have a brisk walk in Hillfield Park one Monday lunchtime around 1pm a couple of weeks ago.
I am not a dog owner in fact I don’t like dogs at all but I have nothing against Dog owners taking their dogs for their daily walk. But what I do object to is when they spoil it for people who don’t like dogs.
A lady was with her dogs letting them run free when one of her dogs kept running round my feet. I turned round and shouted I don’t like dogs. She kept calling him but the dog wouldn’t go back to her. The dog a greyhound jumped up the front of me and terrified me. I shouted could you please control your dog.
This really is not acceptable and I feel that she should be in charge of her dogs much better than this. It puts people off from taking regular exercise.
Please keep your dogs under control in public places. I’m in my 60s.
Mrs S Martin
