Association 'is passionate' about port

MANY people will have followed reports in the local media recently regarding concerns raised by Great Yarmouth Port Users' Association (GYPUA) about the town's �50m outer harbour.

As an association representing about 30 of the main businesses in and around the harbour, we understandably take a keen interest in any developments which will have an effect on the port of Great Yarmouth - particularly schemes of this exciting magnitude - and are confident that we have the experience and knowledge to comment upon them where necessary.

We have therefore been concerned recently by public perceptions that GYPUA is an organisation which does not support the development of an outer harbour. The aim of this letter is to make clear our position and to dispel any such fears.

We would like to reaffirm that we are totally committed to providing support for the promotion and development of the outer harbour and we remain as enthusiastic as ever to work with EastPort to achieve that common goal. Several members have already voiced their support through the local press.

Indeed, in media reports we have always been careful to stress that our concerns are in no way negative but should be taken into account as real topics for debate to assist in the shaping of a successful port.

As one of our members, Nigel Williams, Operations Manager at Gardline Marine Sciences, puts it: “The outer harbour is a new and exciting development: one that can potentially help local and associated businesses, creating jobs, fresh opportunities and boosting the town's wider economy.”

With the project heading towards completion, GYPUA will continue to work hard with relevant stakeholders to ensure the finished scheme is successful and one that the town can be proud of.

To be clear, we remain passionate about this ambitious development and its potential and we are understandably keen that the original “outer harbour vision”, which Great Yarmouth campaigned for over so many years, finally becomes reality.

MIKE GOULDBY,

Chairman, Great Yarmouth Port Users' Association (GYPUA)

East Quay

South Denes Road

Great Yarmouth

I WOULD like to express my disgust at the behaviour of some of the low-lifes who apparently reside in this town. I can find no appropriate words to describe them. I have watched birds and other wildlife at Breydon Water Local Nature Reserve for over 30 years.

An observation hide is situated just to the north-west of the Breydon Bridge, very obvious to anyone travelling over the bridge, one of two such structures that were erected many years ago for the benefit of naturalists and visitors that might wish to enjoy the reserve. Sadly, the second hide was dismantled several years ago after repeated vandalism made its continued repair not viable.

The remaining hide has been used by vagrants and others as somewhere to sleep and has been a focal point for vandalism for as long as I can remember, which resulted in the windows being removed from the door at back of the hide and the flaps at the front of the hide being removed to make it less attractive to that element. Unfortunately it has also made it less attractive to the people it was originally built for.

Obscene graffiti has been a relatively more recent problem and its use as dumping ground for uneaten food and drink, with its assorted packaging. Empty wine, cider, beer, lager, spirit and soft drink bottles and cans litter the hide and the immediate surrounding area, and its use as a public toilet made matters worse.

It has been set fire to on more than one occasion, the last in 2007 resulting in the hide being out of use for sixteen months. Vandals were apparently unaware of its recent re-opening as the first few weeks saw no vandalism. However, that situation could not last and it became the now familiar rubbish tip, but that was all, at least it was usable. Unfortunately the middle of June saw the return of the real dregs of society and the hide floor is covered in vomit, human excrement and urine. Who is to blame and what can be done about it?

Breydon Water LNR is owned by Great Yarmouth Borough Council and the management lease is held by the Great Yarmouth Wildfowler's Association who are responsible for the upkeep of the hide and by and large do a reasonably good job of it. Neither the GYBC nor the GYWA can be held responsible for the damage and unacceptable behaviour of such a mindless minority but what can be done to stop them?

KEITH R DYE

Wolseley Road

Great Yarmouth

REGARDING recent letters of utter dismay at the possibility of the York Road Drill Hall being used and altered to accommodate a youth club, I would like to add my own concerns.

The hall is in constant use throughout the week and for the members of the Sports Club 88 of which I am a member it would be a bitter blow.

The hall is used by us for two morning sessions of two hours per session. This gives the 100 strong membership for the over 50's a great deal of pleasure, not only in the sports department, but also for the social aspect that it also provides. To bring to a close a club that has been in operation now for 21 years would be a great disappointment.

I would ask the "powers that be" to please reconsider and think again.

GLORIA WEBB

Camden Place

Great Yarmouth

I READ your article on the third river crossing with a sense of utter disbelief. If the diagrams are correct they are clearly the work of someone who as given the matter very little attention at all. About two years ago there was a tent in the market place where they were showing people some of the proposals for this crossing and asking for comments and preferences. I understand that there was one idea which was very much preferred and looked excellent for the purpose. What has happened to that idea?

As far as I can recall this was a high level bridge approached by a ramp going north on South Denes Road sweeping across the river and coming down into William Adams Way.

According to the diagram in the paper the bridge now proposed is over complicated in that it has an extra entry and exit road going north on South Denes Road and other entry roads on Southtown Road. All completely unnecessary. And it goes through people's houses and gardens when there is a perfectly good road that can be used. The tunnel idea is of course a non starter and was clearly put into the proposal to try and fool us into thinking the people putting this forward had actually thought about it.

Incidentally the map used calls William Adams Way Beccles Road which is incorrect.

DEREK BROWN

Nelson Road South

Great Yarmouth

Editors note: These diagrams were provided to the Mercury by Norfolk County Council.

With reference the new bridge/tunnel according to Mr Firth the new road will take 15,000 vehicle movements from the existing routes.

But a new tunnel will take 25,000 vehicle movements a day. To remove the discrepancy lets take it that the figure is 20,000.

If this is over a 10 hour period per day this means that there will be 2000 per hour or 33 per minute! Every day including weekends.

This also assumes that this number can arrive at the bridge/tunnel after negotiating both Lowestoft, Acle New Road and the Gapton Hall roundabout.

Talk about pie in the sky.

MR M HOOD

Claydon Grove

Gorleston

ONE-hundred pound a week on food! Once again we thank Anne Edwards and her team at the Mercury for publishing the local MPs expenses. Shocked as we are at the expos� in the Telegraph, it pales at the shock that the local MP claims �100 a week for food. He is aware elderly pensioners in the Yarmouth area unable to afford the energy bills could be dying from the cold. We have repeatedly alerted him since 1997 that many pensioners renting private accommodation and surviving on the basic state pension are forced to supplement the rent from less than �100 a week. Some are paying up to �50 a week towards their rents because the local housing allowance, which is supplementary to a meager state pension does not meet the private rents in full.

A STEVENS

Press officer

Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Royal Marines Commando

DOES anyone really want to go back to the bad old days when serving as an MP excluded those people without sufficient income to cover his expenses?

Just over 100 years ago the only MPs were men who had sufficient wealth to allow them to sit in Parliament. Almost all MPs represented in the interests of the ruling classes, while only a few worked to relieve the plight of working class people.

During the first decade of the 20th century, trade unions began sponsoring MPs to represent the interests of the working classes and the unemployed. Only in 1911 did MPs start getting �400 a year from the public purse.

A modern alternative to salaries and expenses is to allow MPs to have a main job that would give her/him the income to cover the personal costs of representing constituents. The drawback is the lack of time available to serve the public and the real prospect of conflict of interests. I really would not recommend this!

MPs need to be paid at a rate that allows them to work exclusively to represent the public. Whether it is a large salary alone or a smaller one with expenses is another question. But they certainly need to receive enough so that they are not out of pocket when serving their constituents.

Expenses in the private sector are commonplace at all levels, Employees travelling for work, or staying overnight will be able to claim expenses, including meals. The cost of conferences or courses are met by the employer. The employee is not expected to be out of pocket in these circumstances. Why should MPs be any different? They are after all working for us.

The argument should be about what is claimed for and the amounts claimed, not about the principle. Let's reform the system and not pillory our elected representatives.

Just for the record, I do not believe anyone who says now that they would not have claimed expenses had they been elected before this rumpus started. It is too easy to say that I would have been different. Is a pinch of salt maybe called for?

JIM WEST

Albany Road

Great Yarmouth

MANY weeks ago the metal seat/bench at stand G at Market Gates bus station was pulled down, no doubt by vandals.

It has not been replaced and this seat is very much needed by both shoppers and visitors.

I have phoned and written concerning this matter to Great Yarmouth Borough Council and received no help at all and my letter was not even acknowledged.

Also I have rung both bus companies, First and Anglian and Norfolk County Council with no result. It appears no one is responsible for this small but necessary facility.

Yarmouth needs to attract both visitors and shoppers and apart from the missing seat, the lack of information about bus services is both pathetic and almost unbelievable.

It would be very helpful indeed if the seat could be replaced quickly for those of us who regularly support trade and services in Yarmouth.

MRS H M GALLAWAY

Danesbower Lane

Blofield

I DARESAY that many of your regular readers will, like me, miss your weekly shipping movement reports. The chief executive of East Port must know very well that his pretext of "confidentiality" is a smoke screen. All this and even more commercially sensitive information is readily available to competitors from any number of perfectly legitimate sources.

I am quite convinced that the real reason for this action is to prevent local people from knowing the true state of affairs at the outer harbour and realising that Great Yarmouth has no hope of receiving what we were promised in terms of jobs, passenger ferries and RORO vessels. Just to make the point that we have no intention of swallowing this balderdash why not publish a relevant extract from Lloyds List occasionally.

NICK POWNALL

Seafield Close

Great Yarmouth

IT IS very difficult to remain positive about the outer harbour given that the promise of jobs has actually resulted in dockers losing theirs.

The erosion of Hopton beach is another factor that can't be ignored.

The power of EastPort to close public roads and car parks thus denying access to the general public is a disgrace, but the veil of secrecy now thrown around the shopping movements in the name of confidentiality is the most worrying thing.

What sort of cargoes will be moored off our shores? Have the council though about it, or do they not care?

I think we have been sold down the river!

PAULINE LYNCH

Mill Lane

Bradwell

PEGGOTTY'S description of the complicated rules for entering and leaving the harbour makes awesome reading.

The bridgemaster is also involved for ensuring that vessels have clear passage up and down stream and also as Peggotty points out he has detailed instructions for operating the bridge to suit arrival and departure times of trains from the two stations.

But, I think it was during the 1950s, on an August bank holiday Saturday, the bridge got stuck in the up position, leaving hundreds of passengers marooned on the wrong side for connecting with their trains.

There must be many who remember the incident.

I also feel there must have been angry letters in the Mercury the following Friday.

MISS R L FARMER

Marine Parade

Gorleston

WHAT a lovely weekend I have just experienced in Great Yarmouth and I wanted to say thank you to those responsible for thinking of the holiday makers and local people.

I haven't been to Yarmouth in years and I noticed in the Lowestoft Journal about the Band Factor event happening on the seafront, so I cut out the line up and came over. I was pleasantly surprised on how much the seafront has changed and all for the better I am pleased to say. Due to the range of music in different places I stayed all Saturday and visited again on Sunday, I could not ask to spend my weekend any other way, this was perfect.

I hope you get a lot of feedback on this weekend. I certainly spoke to a lot of happy people who were just as pleased to see this as I was, and like me would feel it a deep shame if this did not carry on in future years. A well done to those responsible, you have made of lot of people's weekends.

JANICE GOOCH

Lloyds Avenue,

Kessingland

DEREK Brown has misunderstood what J Bracewell was trying to say (Mercury, June 12). I travel to and from Gorleston every day and I too have the same problem as J Bracewell. I travel in the right hand lane from Harfreys roundabout and move into the centre lane on the Gapton roundabout to exit left, to go over Breydon Bridge. However, people in the left hand lane for some inexplicable reason move into the centre lane of the roundabout instead of staying in the left lane. The other problem I have encountered is the mysterious “third lane”, whilst waiting in the right hand lane to join the roundabout someone will drive up the centre of the two lanes and create their own to drive into the centre lane of the roundabout! This causes immense problems for people like myself who wish to join the centre lane themselves and then have to wait for that car to proceed before moving. No, J Bracewell, it's not just you!

Mrs A WARD

Sandringham Ave

Great Yarmouth

IF Simon Cowell is looking for the best of British talent then he should have got himself down to Gorleston Pavilion Theatre for the recent Variety of Life show.

I couldn't believe how professional the acts were. It was full of talented people, especially some of the younger members of the cast, who put many of the X-Factor and Britain's Got Talent contestants to shame. The show was fast moving, colourful and overflowing with singing, dancing and comedy. The show was in aid of Cancer Research UK and was dedicated to the memory of Betty Sykes and many members of her family took part. I'm sure she was looking down and would have been very proud of you all. Well done and thanks to all the cast for a great evening's entertainment.

Yes, Yarmouth and Gorleston have certainly got talent.

MS D L MAYMAN

Northgate Street

Great Yarmouth

GOOD for you Mrs R Falmer (last weeks Mercury) glad someone agrees the white elephant at the end of the pier with two huge green dinosaurs looking over hurts your eyes too! Just think when it opens you will paying for that view too!

Give it two years then it will be a yacht harbour so will look more pleasant?

D LEGGETT

Horsley Drive

Gorleston

I NOTICED my Labrador Erin happily gulping something on the beach at Caister this morning.

On checking her I noticed fishing twine hanging from her mouth, grabbing her by the collar I gently put my hand down her throat and withdrew, yes, you've guessed it, a fishing hook complete with bait.

Will fishermen please, please think about the harm they cause by walking away with no regard for dogs and children with bare feet.

Had I not have noticed Erin would be undergoing x-rays and an expensive operation. I wouldn't have known why she was in such pain until investigation.

Enjoy your fishing but please, please take your used tackle, discarded bait and half eaten sandwich etc home.

SANDY DOBSON

Yarmouth Road

Caister