Council admit election pledge is unworkable Options

[On the edge]

It might not be an A road today but tomorrow? Aren't there many many complaints about conjestion and heavy lorries on A4? Isn't the south supposed to be the engine room of the economy? Don't we want employment in Newbury? You really think that investment in leasure centres and road bridges in Shetland good use of your money? Economics of the madhouse.
No wonder its a manisfesto pledge - Newbury doesn't care anyway. Doubles all round!

[dannyboy]

Deflect, deflect, deflect!!!

EDIT: Where's User???

What deflection?

[Andy Capp]

It might not be an A road today but tomorrow? Aren't there many many complaints about conjestion and heavy lorries on A4? Isn't the south supposed to be the engine room of the economy? Don't we want employment in Newbury? You really think that investment in leasure centres and road bridges in Shetland good use of your money? Economics of the madhouse.
No wonder its a manisfesto pledge - Newbury doesn't care anyway. Doubles all round!

Rightly or wrongly, the UK works on a method of 'wait until something is needed' mentality. Haulage is discouraged from using the Thatcham rail crossing, so there's little sympathy from that group. Sadly.

Perhaps Richard Garvie could organise a sit-in demo on the rail track crossing?

[user23]

What deflection?

Unfortunately Richard's points rarely stand up to scrutiny so this is what he has to fall back on.

[On the edge]

Rightly or wrongly, the UK works on a method of 'wait until something is needed' mentality. Haulage is discouraged from using the Thatcham rail crossing, so there's little sympathy from that group. Sadly.

Perhaps Richard Garvie could organise a sit-in demo on the rail track crossing?

I think that's right locally. In some other places (not many granted) a degree of planning and forsight is applied. Has happened very little in Newbury over many years which is why its 'surprised' that the town has grown so big. Complacent or incompetent, don't know what - just worry about the future.

[Andy Capp]

I think that's right locally. In some other places (not many granted) a degree of planning and forsight is applied. Has happened very little in Newbury over many years which is why its 'surprised' that the town has grown so big. Complacent or incompetent, don't know what - just worry about the future.

It is the big problem with politics and finance. The people who are on the executives of those activities do-not have to bear the brunt of any problems they might have presided over. It is all too short term. To be fair, there is a Newbury vision, but it is debatable as to the real benefits of that.

[NWNREADER]

Richard has a strange style (still).... The original statement he made is flawed, and his chosen caption is not accurate. However, that doesn't matter, as he ignores any attempt to steer him towards anything like truth or accuracy and bangs on about the remnants of his threadbare claim, or berates anyone who dares point out he is mistaken
The case for a bridge over the Kennet is made and will, sometime, be delivered. I doubt it will be for a good few years. It is not a political decision, it is a practical one. Newbury/Thatcham is strangled by the lack of appropriate river crossings. No additional crossings have been built since around 1967 (I don't count the by-pass, as that is a different strategic case).

The engineering to get a span over the railway and the canal, with enough clearance for a train to pass under, involves massive works and huge expense. If not done at the current site the land take (and cost) will be an added cost.

So, fine to say 'something will be done' to keep the idea going. I'm sure any candidate - if asked - would say the same thing.

[Andy Capp]

While that might be true, it is also true, in my view (and Richard's), that the Tories were disingenuous with their manifesto comment.

[user23]

While that might be true, it is also true, in my view (and Richard's), that the Tories were disingenuous with their manifesto comment.

I can't see anything about it in their manifesto, can you?

[Andy Capp]

I can't see anything about it in their manifesto, can you?

You are right.

Richard: if it ain't in the manifesto, then no dice, it ain't a promise.

So we can all go home now.

[Richard Garvie]

Maybe they have edited their manifesto like the Lib Dems did after originally launching it online??? I have the leaflet for Thatcham West sitting in front of me.

Anyway, the quoted section put in the OP is from a council FOI response, so that is the official council line. They are saying it, I simply asked what they had done to look at the project and what the viability and cost would be.

The fact is, the council have said that the bridge is unlikely to ever be built. Very different to the promises made on the doorstep and in election materials throughout Thatcham.

[Bloggo]

Maybe they have edited their manifesto like the Lib Dems did after originally launching it online??? I have the leaflet for Thatcham West sitting in front of me.

Anyway, the quoted section put in the OP is from a council FOI response, so that is the official council line. They are saying it, I simply asked what they had done to look at the project and what the viability and cost would be.

The fact is, the council have said that the bridge is unlikely to ever be built. Very different to the promises made on the doorstep and in election materials throughout Thatcham.

Of course Labour has never reneged on a promise has it.

[dannyboy]

Maybe they have edited their manifesto like the Lib Dems did after originally launching it online??? I have the leaflet for Thatcham West sitting in front of me.

Anyway, the quoted section put in the OP is from a council FOI response, so that is the official council line. They are saying it, I simply asked what they had done to look at the project and what the viability and cost would be.

The fact is, the council have said that the bridge is unlikely to ever be built. Very different to the promises made on the doorstep and in election materials throughout Thatcham.

They looked far & wide - which was the 'pledge' - & there is no likely or probable solution.

What would you rather be told - that it was still work in progress?

[Richard Garvie]

They looked far & wide - which was the 'pledge' - & there is no likely or probable solution.

What would you rather be told - that it was still work in progress?

There has been no such work since the election. What we know now is what the council knew way before the election. In other words, the Conservative Party must have known before the election that the project was a dead duck, yet their candidates were talking it up prior to the election.

[dannyboy]

There has been no such work since the election. What we know now is what the council knew way before the election. In other words, the Conservative Party must have known before the election that the project was a dead duck, yet their candidates were talking it up prior to the election.

You know this as fact?

[James_Trinder]

You know this as fact?

Well, you'd have to be an idiot not to know in advance that nothing could practically be done about this so the Conservative candidate who pledged to look into this is either an idiot or a liar. The people who voted for him/her on the basis of this pledge should also display a bit more common sense.

[dannyboy]

Well, you'd have to be an idiot not to know in advance that nothing could practically be done about this so the Conservative candidate who pledged to look into this is either an idiot or a liar. The people who voted for him/her on the basis of this pledge should also display a bit more common sense.

I was remarking on RG's rather sweeping claim that he knew they had been no such work sin ce the election.

Politicians make all kinds of claims prior to elections.

[Richard Garvie]

Politicians make all kinds of claims prior to elections.

And we should simply accept that and move on?

[dannyboy]

And we should simply accept that and move on?

LOL - are you for real?

[Richard Garvie]

LOL - are you for real?

Are you really accepting that politicians should make promises and break them? Isn't this why politics is already in the gutter?