greenknight

It's been a sham these last few days.

To be honest you should be proud of Herefordshire,s record after all in the last ten years the only significant road building project was that out of Rotherwas! Once again you are raising points specific to urban environments and not advising how best to improve the County diaphragm.

Understand Unique..an old or young employer of mine Dr Malcolm Russell is already out there..on BBC News last night. I'm x RAMC and believe these days the Gurkhas are in Tidworth,not sure but I think they form part of one of the rifle brigades.

It depends on the taker uppers "boots".. don't laugh but my tab at the old market site might not get set up until tomorrow so if you dared to go there Saturday or early next week perhaps?

yes Jimbo but that does not mean you can entice the electorate also paid for by my good self All the best.

Talk of "jobs 'n growth" and affordable housing is all very well but unless we pay some attention to the things that draw in the affluent, there is going to be a continuing serious shortage of professional capital in the county, along with an absence of the kind of spending power that can support local economies and culture which, in turn, provide choice, opportunity and quality of life for everyone. When Fired Earth closes down, you know your city is in trouble. You see Amanda this statement suggests to me that you are quite keen for Herefordshire to become the new Cotswolds a rich and famous playground with Range Rovers ta boot! The reason why the Cotswolds is so popular is because it's quaint and very easy to get into London not just because of rail links nope because the Bentley Continental can hammer it down the M40/A40/M4 et al. The reason why you can't get your circa £100,000 consultant surgeon to live here is because the road and rail links are so flipping poor to the southeast. So my question again is what alternative transport can you provide me with that can substitute my current reliance of the four wheeled monster and allow me to carry out my clinical duties?

Well this part of the election is almost done and its been great to see an increase in the activity on the site. I've set up a small tab at the Costa in town so please feel free to have a Coffee on me. Once the gift card is gone it's gone, so just drinks if you please. I'm hoping to get a similar tab set up for the old market Costa but just need to check with the manager Anthony first. Just state you are a Hereford Voice member and its compliments of GK. All the very best. Green Knight

Well just be mindful Amanda that getting behind the wheel maybe anti-social but it can also mean the saving of life as does the air ambulance etc etc. I admire your commitment to the cause though and you already have the uncanny nack of not answering certain questions which makes you ideal for politics. In my younger days I became part of the Winchester protest group but these days I just feel fortunate that our great british lives are not ruined by the brutalities of war. I'm a huge fan of James Lovelock and the Gaia concept. The tram suggestion is a brilliant one but it won't stop lorries,tractors and old coaches trundling through the city adding to the pollution levels.

Everyone has a viewpoint and most of us have cars as I believe your partner has Amanda. Yes I've been to Holland more than once and every time I flew yes flew like most people do when they take their kids on holidays these days. Would love to coach, ferry tram etc, sadly though my employer prefers that I get things done in a day rather than two or three. in previous posts I have still not seen realistic suggestions on how to stop me doing the miles compliments of the motor car the recycled argument about sorting out local solutions is an easy one to sort but contentious as it basically means stopping parents from running their kids to school in the four wheeled monster. I'm sure that no one can argue how quieter the roads are during school and college breaks. This however is easier said than done and I'm glad I'm not saddled with the task of selling the concept. My kids have been and gone but I appreciate many of the hurdles that parents have to jump these days. Herefordshire faces big decisions over the next ten years and it can go a couple of ways. It could retain its bubble mentality which ultimately means no new roads or business which in turn will encourage a larger immigration of retired have money types which in turn forces up house prices pushing lower paid local people out of the County. Two types of industry mainly farming with contract in cheap labour as required and private welfare carers looking after those who can afford it. So big houses in the country for the money types and tenement blocks for the rest serving those affluent incoming who won't need to use a vehicle because they can get others to do it. I prefer a balanced controlled approach of sustainable ROAD and transport development which in turn will attract the right industries and professionals for our schools and hospitals. My family left Jersey prior to the German invasion and in the end they could not afford to return. I and my family were forced to leave Winchester because it's house prices went through the roof so here we are in Herefordshire. Please don't think that we can ignore the changes that are to come, we can't be selfish shutting the door, selective about who we let in. The only way that local young people have a chance to remain or return to this fare county is to have a structured balanced approach to sustainable development which includes roads. I love the idea of walking down Old Town pushing a rickshaw with several patient monitors and a defibrillator on my back heading towards Gloucester..but I'm absolutely sure my employer wouldn't and judging by all the trades people they wouldn't either.

Thanks Megilleland and well done for getting it out there..it's a start. Thanks for allowing us into your home Jean! I do question the Highways Agency numbers in relation to through traffic. Are these numbers based on a snapshot through the recession period, do they factor in local increased housing potential and business growth and or predictions of future growth based on an increased traffic on our national roads network. During 2008/9 it was quite possible to drive out of the County around 6am and see very little traffic whereas now its awash with trade vans and company Audis and BMW,s. The video mentions the A4440 around Worcester well this was a development done on the cheap and should have been a dual carriageway from start ..this was simply not factored in and the road was swamped which incidentally presents in some parts as a raised platform not unlike what could be achieved at Lugg...just with a little more style.

It can go above the meadows and be damned with budget!

Winchester,St.Cross was my home at a time in the 70's when you could pop down to the water meadows and scoop out European Crayfish whilst water voles vie for territory. These days the crayfish have gone and ratty is in trouble but Otters are back. Last week I went down to Southampton via M4 and not Swindon,Marborough,Salibury because despite the increased distance I save more than five minutes though at the moment I am cutting the corner at Newbury like hundreds of other cars driving through idyllic quiet Berkshire villages just going someplace else. It's not about cars it's about population growth and your relief road in South Wales is back on the table. At weekends you can sit at my old ladies window and view across St Catherine's Hill which sits over the Twyford cutting and watch people out walking with their families,dogs and bikes though there are so many there's a queue. People or bypass..it does not matter the end result is the same we are but an island and pegging back population growth well that's another topic altogether.

I understand what you are saying Amanda buts it's far more complicated in my view and not about local traffic solutions in fact really what's local in terms of definition. I would not be able to live in this County if I lost my vehicle. My work is specialist and I travel 800 miles a week and not by choice I can tell you because as you get older it gets harder. Dazza for example is a healthcare professional who regularly travels out of the County. The A33 Winchester bypass was once a dual carriageway before ..in the end the hold ups got too much not just for local people but for those who just wanted to get by and be gone..so after The Twyford cutting wars the M3 was built and now it's stuffed already but that's how things are that's sadly life as it is today. I would love nothing more than to either use the train or canal boat to get to work and perhaps I might just witness teleportation or routine use of hydrogen fuel cells but sadly this will happen after my death in fact this old fossils carbon footprint might even be used to drive the next generation 22nd Century Porsche! I don't like the building of roads anymore than you do but the bike saddle is literally a pain in the arse as my prostate tells me so sadly it's the Dacia for me!!

Now you've done it Paul ..better look out for new member representation from North Korea. Colin better look out for subversive website antics!

Good ..thanks Dippy

For me this is one area of the IOC ideals which I can't support. We do need a bypass and for me the Eastern Route is best.In five years time there will be more cars irrespective of local ideals we will have more houses both on the periphery of the city and within the County. Government will need to find relief to the existing national road infrastructure and the A49 will feature.On top of all this the Heads of the Valley road will eventually be dualled all the way to Abergavenny from the other side of Swansea and this will provide an attractive option for some car drivers but they will have to negotiate Hereford first. Personally I think government will eventually force this upon the County if decisions can't be made.

Come on Amanda you can do this..you have the courage of your convictions.Am I right in thinking the your conservative opponent doesn't even live in the ward? If you win that's a great spot to be in however if it doesn't work out carry on being an absolute pain in the arse sometimes mixing it up on the backbenchs can give you more of a free hand. Go girl we the electorate are a strange lot and it only takes one little old lady to put you back on track...plenty of people support you hear so what a terrific friend to have in HV!!

Ok sorry about that I really thought the Border Oak lads secured it..I think it is a great place.

Morning Dippy Very much agree with your comments. Sadly I've not been inspired by the five though a certain lady from Scotland has showed her passion even if her ultimate plan is not to my liking! You know what for me I feel we may do this all over again within five years so if that happens we should discuss the possibility of fielding Herefordshire Independent Candidates. Where have they gone this time around?

By the way..do you still think we avoid healthcare...cheers

Well I wish you well Dazza and should I ever find myself presented in ED during a Saturday night in a peripherally shut down situation I hope and only hope you don't decide to apply the EZio device because it would be then that I decide to blow my cover!

As a footnote the Costa building provided work for Border Oak so surely that has to be a good thing business for a local company and a great position to advertise your product!! Somehow we have to move on from this episode ..it's done now let,s support it. We complain about empty shops but if you were presented with an opportunity to market your wears..what would it be that can't be found off the internet. Should you have an idea of promoting a niche product would you have the courage to get it out there if you felt that so many people shop from home these days. Would you stick your mortgage on it, your life savings? It's a tough call and a brave one but whatever you decide don't moan about town when your only going in once a month because if we all did that the brushwood would be blowing up the high street before high noon...want an example go to Kington or Leominster mid afternoon on a Saturday! Use it or lose it just like the Buses,the Library..

You see that's the thing. Mrs Knight and I internet shop for many things and actually it would be quite possible to avoid town completely but still find to either walk or drive into town parking in Gaol Street (I'm sure you know where that is Roger) . We will walk through Old Town, Post Office, Market etc sometimes ending up in old market site. We are still putting money into the shops. I'd rather have a Coffee shop than another blank canvass and we've used the cinema!( have small TV ..thousands of channels with no substance). You can't complain about the state of the town centre and then not bother to use it ..what's that all about!

Right Ragwert so when you are next in Costa have a word with either Anthony or Tom and treat both your good lady wife and yourself to a Coffee on me. I will talk to the boys next week! ...and your right about the speed limit!

I agree mate and don't laugh but I came across a couple last week that came from Cheltenham..what irony!