Testun llawn:
It was with great regret and sorrow, that I learned that one of the proposed traveller sites, could be potentially sited, just down the road from our house, on Stratford Rd, Warwick.
Living on one of the main principal roads into the County Town of Warwickshire, is not only something that my Wife and I enjoy, but are both very proud of. Of course before moving in, we were always aware that there would be pros and cons, as to living on such a busy road, even though we are very pleased with the recent upgrade to the highway network system, at Longbridge island.
Alas, sometimes there are incidents on the M40, which cause traffic to be diverted along Stratford Rd and this can make life pretty difficult.
Its great to see visitors coming to our Town and we are always pleased for the local economy, when it benefits from such events at Warwick Castle, the Racecourse, The Folk Festival, The Thai weekend, marathons, etc etc.
Even without special events, Warwick enjoys great visitor attraction, particularly on Weekends, Bank Holidays and obviously the Summer months. Stratford Rd does not need any more traffic, especially convoys of travellers, trailers and associated vehicles, which they use to ply their bogus trades, on the elderly and vulnerable of the Local Community.
Travellers have illegally gained site to a field down by Chase Meadow, on quite a few occasions, over the last several years. We all witnessed the mess that they left last time. We had two very expensive garden pots and trees, stolen from the front of our house one night, when the travellers were in Town, but of course, we could not prove anything.
We also had a WPC knock the front door one day, asking if we knew anything about a tradesman, working at a Neighbours of ours, who had equipment stolen from his van, which was parked on his Customers drive. Again, we all knew who the likely candidates were, but could prove nothing.
On another occasion, we were woken at 2.00a.m, by children from the travelling community, riding bicycles up and down Stratford Rd.
There can be and never will be, harmony and interaction between the two Communities, as genetically, Travellers will use and abuse and move on and contribute very little. Its their make up, their way, its how they have been bought up and programmed.
I realise that the Local Authority is now duty bound in law, to make provision for the travelling community and I really sympathise for those, who have to make such decisions, that will impact on peoples life's and properties. It strikes me as plain common sense, that these sites should be hidden away as best as possible and away from near by Communities.
I'm sure I speak for many Pub Landlords, Restaurant owners and Shopkeepers, when I say that they would not welcome traveller custom either.
Some of the cons of living on Stratford Rd at the moment are, the disgusting smells and odours that we experience from the local Sewage Treatment works down the road and I've also noticed a considerable increase of air traffic, which appears to be flying lower and obviously louder, since the new runway at Birmingham Airport was completed.
If you weigh up all of the above evidence, I'm sure you will conclude, that we already shoulder our share of inconvenience and that common sense and fairness, should direct you to opting for another venue then that of Stratford Rd.