IN response to the complaint about traffic chaos and future gridlock should the outer harbour ever take off, I am not sure how long the author of the article has lived in this town.

IN response to the complaint about traffic chaos and future gridlock should the outer harbour ever take off, I am not sure how long the author of the article has lived in this town. However, it should be noted that Norfolk Line were active at the South Denes roll-on roll-off terminal for many years; three ships throughout the day and night arriving with cargo to be distributed throughout the country.

Most of this traffic, as I remember, was moved through the town during the night hours and as we are all aware this town has always been affected by roundabouts designed by brainless individuals who do not reside here.

The Gapton Hall roundabout is a classic example of gross negligence and stupidity inflicted upon us by the highways authorities and other mindless muppets who do not have sit in their cars and suffer as we do.

The outer harbour is the best thing that has happened to this town in years, so instead of complaining should we not do all we can to put pressure on our councils, highways agency and Members of Parliament to ensure that every possible effort is made to provide a third river crossing, a dual carriageway for the Acle Straight, and whatever it takes to put the Great back into Yarmouth again.

KENNTH GIBBS

Holly Avenue

Bradwell

I HAVE just read your article on page five of this week's Mercury with total amazement! Why would our local council gamble with our rate paying money in this way?

Doesn't anyone remember BCCI? We live in a world of “risk and reward”, so my question is how much more interest was our council earning by being speculative, rather than safe with our money? I have worked for a UK-based clearing bank for 32 years. My bank is exceptionally well capitalised and I just wonder why local money was not deposited with us instead of Iceland?

I sincerely hope the people making these decisions are held to account. I would like to see more evidence that the Icelandic bank had a top credit rating like suggested and really feel Trevor Wainwright's comments deserve support and we are given proof that proper due diligence was undertaken when these investment were made.

COLIN DENNY, FCIB

Bridge Road

Gorleston

I READ with interest in the Mercury of October 10 that councillors are calling for funding of a third river crossing. Councillor Brian Walker recalled that this was discussed in the early 1960s. I am afraid he is way out of time, as this was brought up at council in great depth in December 1943. Yes, 1943!

Consulting engineers Messrs Rendel, Palmer and Tritton then decided a tunnel was not practical and they presented a scheme for a bridge. The borough engineer to confer with the Ministry of Transport and report back. This was in June 1946. By August 1947 it was decided no second river crossing would be constructed.

Sixty-five years have passed and still no crossing yet. Typical of this council. I wait with bated breath for the next meeting.

D J MYHILL

St Nicholas Drive

Caister

WE were interested to read in your letters column that someone else is concerned about the wheelie bins left on the road and pavements in Beach Road. We, too, have been concerned about this for some time and took the matter up by letter and email with the powers that be. We got absolutely nowhere and nothing at all was done; in fact in the end the council called a halt to the proceedings and stopped any further correspondence by claiming “hard pressed officers” did not have time to waste on such issues. We felt it was nothing more than a cop-out by a council more interested in congratulating itself on the grand wheel-out, than in the appearance of the streets and having unobstructed highways.

BARBARA BRETT and DAVID NETTLESHIP

Cliff Hill

Gorleston

NOW that the roads are being reinforced on Hall Quay to take the strain of all those hundreds of articulated lorries expected from the outer harbour, going who knows where, what about Haven Bridge? Will a bridge which was opened in 1930, be strong enough to take the weight of all that extra traffic, or could there be another “Clown in the Tub” tragedy waiting to happen?

PAULINE LYNCH

Mill Lane

Bradwell

SPEAKING to Mr Mick Castle in the street with his petition, I asked if he also had one for the people to sign if they wanted the gates at the end of East Road kept locked, to which he replied “no.”

How can this petition be a fair representation of local residents? With almost 100 local residents signing the petition calling for a u-turn, what about the other 118 local residents who didn't sign.

The pathway leading into Sainsbury's car park is not a public right of way and was only put there when Sainsbury's moved in and paid for the path and the wall to be knocked through.

With the gates soon to be locked at 4.30pm (clock change) extending the hours that the gates are open will not make much difference as fewer people will walk through the churchyard as they do not feel comfortable walking through in the dark.

The extra time to walk from Sainsbury's via Northgate Street is actually only three minutes and 45 seconds. For peace of mind, lack of crime, noise, upset and distress caused to families who have had their gravestone vandalised this doesn't seem too much of an “inconvenience.”

M LINGWOOD

East Road

Great Yarmouth

HAVING read your articles in Mercury (October 10) with great interest, I just felt I had to write to say I was a pupil at the Edward Worlledge Central School at the outbreak of the war in 1939, and when the school was evacuated to Radcliffe-on-Trent, the school was taken over as an ARP post. As my parents would not allow me to go away, we had to attend The Hospital School in Great Yarmouth. It would be in the mornings one week and the afternoons another. They had built a very large underground air raid shelter in the playground in the event of the siren being sounded. The large brick wall at the Worlledge School was to keep the girls in one side and the boys in the other at playtime, although there was a gate in between. Thought this might be of interest.

DON BULLARD

Elm Avenue

Gorleston

ON behalf of the borough council, I would ask your readers to support this year's Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal, which is the Legion's most important source of money.

The work of the Legion is devoted to people whose needs arise from service to their country - they range from veterans of the first world war to those who served in conflicts in places such as the Falklands, the Gulf, Bosnia, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan. Our donations provide the practical help for those in need during times of hardship and distress and is wisely spent on such things as helping to maintain residential homes, convalescent homes, sheltered workshops and a multitude of other large and small measures which help those who have given so much for our freedom and security.

I would like to invite members of the public to come to St George's Park on November 9 for the Remembrance Day Service commencing at 10.55am. Also there will be a service at 12.30pm at the Far East Prisoner of War Memorial at the Jetty Marine Parade.

I also hope that you will observe the two minutes silence on November 11 to express your gratitude and honour of all those who have died in the cause of peace and freedom throughout the world and to remember the sacrifices made for future generation to enjoy the freedom that was won.

CLLR TERRY EASTER

Mayor of the Borough of Great Yarmouth

SEVERAL years ago Great Yarmouth Borough Council discussed ways of “brightening up” Market Gates Bus Station, painting the interior white was suggested. Well, it could certainly do with it now! During the summer, thousands of bus users have been and still are standing in semi-darkness waiting for a bus.

I overheard recently a visitor to Yarmouth comment: “It's like being in the London Underground” (but even the London Underground has adequate lighting). Strangely, although health and safety is such an issue nowadays, the problems at the bus station ie pedestrian access, lack of information when bus stops were relocated etc although highlighted in the press and at council meetings, have largely been ignored.

Mrs JULIE GRINT

Springfield

Acle

GOING to the toilet is a bodily function of every living person, so why are people in Great Yarmouth denied this?

Disabled people purchase a toilet key for their comfort and need. So why does Great Yarmouth put an extra lock on the door so no one can get in.

Waiting at the coach park last Saturday there must have been almost 30 people with no toilets open. I'm talking an hour, up to 8.40am.

In the past I have waited in Market Gates for a coach, found the toilets not open at 8.30am so went over to McDonalds; Market Gates bus stands, no toilets; no office for bookings and no-one anywhere to ask for information.

Come on! Us holidaymakers bring money to your town - look after us.

M RINALDI,

Wingfield Road

Nuneaton

WE would like to inform your readers of what we do with the money we raise at our charity shop in Gorleston.

Many customers are probably not aware that the things they buy help to provide food every week for approximately140 dogs in a rescue shelter on the Greek island of Aegina.

You may wonder why we support a foreign rescue centre. Having helped to raise several thousands of pounds for local animal shelters and rescues we were visiting Aegina for a holiday and met people, mostly English and German, who were struggling to look after unwanted and abandoned dogs on the island in a makeshift shelter in an old 18th century prison. We were so impressed we decided to help them.

After about a year, the local council decided it wanted to convert the prison into a museum and so the shelter was forced to find an alternative base. Fortunately a kind Greek benefactor endowed them with sufficient money to buy a small plot of land in the country outside of the main town and with the help of other local people they were able to develop the sanctuary.

Since that time, about five years ago, the shelter, run by Animal Protection Aegina & Angistri, has gone from strength to strength and has purpose built kennels and runs, dedicated shelters for puppies and injured animals and, thanks to a donation from the Stavros Niarchos Charitable Foundation, a fully equipped clinic. With the help of visiting vets from the UK, Germany and others, they provide a service of sterilisation to the local population of strays which helps reduce the number of unwanted dogs on the streets.

To date this year two cats and 11 dogs have been re-homed in England, 123 dogs re-homed in Germany and several in Aegina and Athens.

I have been ill during the last two years and all of the volunteers have worked very hard to keep the shop going during this time to raise money for this worthwhile cause. If any of your readers think we are doing a worthwhile job we are always happy to hear from volunteers who can spare a few hours a week. We also welcome donations of good quality clothes, towels, blankets, curtains etc. We hold regular tombolas to raise extra funds and so any suitable items for prizes are more than welcome. In fact we accept almost anything except electrical goods.

And can we thank all of our customers for choosing to buy from us.

ROSEMARY GOOD

Friends of Animals charity shop,

6 Lowestoft Road,

Gorleston

IN the Mercury of October 10 there was a wonderful aerial photograph on page seven of the alleged outer harbour. This view really does show how much thought or thoughtlessness, depending on your standpoint, has gone into sighting this structure north of the harbour entrance.

The most congested part of the borough has been chosen so everyone is affected by further congestion. Do we have a tunnel, or a bridge to overcome the River Yare barrier? Either way we are talking of millions of pounds and further total disruption.

Could not the planners envisage how ugly they are going to make our towns? Both Yarmouth and our beloved Gorleston are going to be torn apart. Just because the planners wanted to save money by using the north pier as one leg of the new harbour.

Why didn't they chose open space between Gorleston and Hopton, getting traffic up to the cliff top from sea level would have been no more difficult than it was at Dover; this would have made a further river crossing unnecessary. Also, when operating, traffic would not be disrupted making the town suffer for years to come, as it will now.

But as it's our borough council and the Port Authority involved in the planning of the harbour, they would not want it south of the town in case Lowestoft gained something from it, so let the populace of the borough suffer. I mean to say if it was placed south of the town, it would be an outer harbour, not in its present place where it could end up as a yacht marina.

But work is in progress. With all the great brains on this why are we not using the river as a relief road for those wanting to get from Gorleston to Yarmouth? The planners have only been planning this since 1962. Having been associated with our river for more years than I care to think of, I know of several farsighted people that want to instigate such a service.

But what help is there? I am sure that coach companies would jump at the chance of running a bus service from the Yarmouth side of the ex-Gorleston ferry.

There is another point, has the council been truly honest with us? Gapton Hall roundabout is the focal point of so much grief and will be for years to come. Isn't it a fact that lorry traffic from the outer harbour will travel north along South Quay, turn left over Haven Bridge, straight on to Gapton roundabout, turn north over Breydon Bridge, turn west onto the Acle Straight; because the bridge over the Bure at Vauxhall is not strong enough to take the lorry traffic.

JOHN L COOPER

Burnt Lane

Gorleston

IN reference to the article “Drivers in for an easier ride.” Once again the Highways Agency has no real solution to this intersection.

As to the £1.2m cost of providing a pedestrian crossing are they for real? May I suggest that you look up the infrastructure I have invented that includes pedestrian crossings and allows all cars to enter and exit intersections without stopping even, and especially, during peak traffic?

Perhaps an article questioning the competency of incumbents that refuse to view the same information and bleat about their inability to do the jobs they were put there to do: to give the travelling public the best roads infrastructure in the world.

JOZEF GOJ

Singleton Road

Colo Heights

NSW

HAVING spent 50 minutes last Thursday on a bus from the James Paget Unviersity Hospital in Gorleston to Great Yarmouth town centre, I would like to comment that the teenagers on that bus were the most vile, inconsiderate and ignorant group of people I've ever seen. They smoked and pushed in front of elderly people at the hospital bus stop, swore and shouted continually on the journey, and refused to let elderly passengers sit down despite the fact the bus was packed. One girl even had two seats to herself, and refused to move even when three elderly people got on and were left standing.

After the last of these children got off at Cobholm, a heavily pregnant woman was in such a state she begged the bus driver to let her off as soon as possible, saying the bus journey was the worst she'd been on.

Some people were even getting off two or three stops early just to get away from the noise and language being generated.

These teenagers had no manners and no consideration for other people on the bus, and their behaviour was utterly disgusting from start to finish. I am appalled that decent adults had to put up with this, and I am ashamed that these people are the future of this country.

PETER JACKSON

Ordnance Road

Great Yarmouth

Editors Note: A Gorleston headteacher said incidents like this were immediately investigated and dealt with. And an investigation revealed the teenagers involved were not in education.

AGE Concern Great Yarmouth is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and I would like to invite readers to join us in marking the anniversary. The first event is a service of celebration and thanksgiving at St Nicholas Parish Church at 11am on Monday, November 3 followed by light refreshments.

The next event is a banquet and ball to be held at 7.30pm on Saturday, November 8, at Great Yarmouth Racecourse. Tickets are £35 with dancing to Galaxy. If readers would like to join us at either event please telephone on 01493 743052 or call and see me at the Priory Centre for more details.

LYDIA MIDDLETON

Administrator

Age Concern

OVER this year I have had six cars parked not only on double yellow lines but also across my driveway.

During the day I count at least three vehicles parked on Nettle Hill West (which is a road with double yellow lines both sides), in the evening there are vehicles amounting to at least five parked on this road. I have found that phoning the police or council is a complete waste of time and money as no action is taken.

Recently we arrived home after a seven hour car journey to find that to be able to enter my own driveway I had to be able to shunt back and forth several times as cars were parked on the yellow lines either side making it very difficult to be able to park in my own driveway.

This is a frequent occurrence and quite often my driveway is completely blocked by parked cars. This causes obvious frustration and even has the potential to be far worse than this should I need to use my car in an emergency situation.

Working on the assumption £30 is the fine for parking on yellow lines that means during the day the income would be at least £90 and most evenings £180 and so I am left wondering why no action is ever taken as the council cannot even use the excuse it is unaffordable to take action.

This is on a road approximately only 300 yards long with several driveways.

Mr P ROE

Nelson Road North

Great Yarmouth

I DON'T confess to know much about investing money but I think Great Yarmouth Council should be ashamed of themselves, £2m allegedly gone. They seem to have no regard about the welfare of the local people.

For example spending all that money on the town hall and now more money is needed for the roof.

They should be thinking about how their constituents are going to keep a roof over their heads in this present climate, I know, we can all go and live in the town hall. But as usual we will have to, no doubt, pay through our council tax, we will wait and see.

Mrs LINDA GRIMMER

North Denes Road

Great Yarmouth

READING about “the kiosk girls” in letters, October 3 and 10 it brought back many memories.

I worked there, as did my sisters Pat, Janice, Julie and Elizabeth. A few others I remember are Paula Rees, Jenny O'Malley, Pat Varley, Maureen Elwood and Arlene. It was a fun place to work.

We all called it “Barkers Kiosk”. We used to do shift work, either mornings or afternoon/evenings. I think it closed at 9.30pm in the evening. We would do these shifts at the 'town' or on Regent Road in St Johns Garage.

It was a busy place and plenty of work to do. One job was to display the loose sweets in the windows, then weigh a few bags up ready to sell. There was also endless brands of cigarettes to display etc.

Whenever Mrs Barker (our boss) came in she would always inspect the window displays first. She liked them perfect and if something wasn't quite right, she'd ask us to put it right. Yes, happy times I had there.

Whenever I pass it now I always think of “The kiosk”.

JOAN DORKINS (Nee Eaglen)

North Denes Road

Great Yarmouth

DO you remember the outdoor games you played as a child? If you have vivid and interesting stories to tell - from playground adventures, to imaginary worlds, to fun and games in the streets and fields - we want to hear them!

Testimony Films (makers of Pocketful of Posies, BBC2; and Green and Pleasant Land, Channel 4) are making a BBC documentary history on how children's outdoor play has changed, based on people's memories.

We're interested in child's play in Britain from the early years of the 20th century right up to the 1970s and 80s. Which was the decade of your childhood and what were the most popular outdoor games of your era?

In the past, children often had more freedom to take risks and play away from the watchful eyes of parents, which could be liberating but it could sometimes result in danger or disaster. Did you do things as a child which you were lucky to get away with?

Children's play could also be cruel. Were you bullied as a child, or were you the bully?

If you have a child's play story to tell, then please write, phone or email me.

CLAIR TITLEY

Testimony Films

12 Great George Street

Bristol BS1 5RH

Email: clair.titley@testimonyfilms.com