Let’s not waste Spalding’s Levelling Up money!

Let’s not waste the £20million

Over the last 20 years, I have spent many hours in Spalding and witnessed the decline of the town centre with empty shops, store windows covered, fewer market stalls, no police visibility, drinking, drugs - I can go on forever.

I have always called South Holland District the ‘Forgotten County’ - even the Government has recognised this now. Go back over the years, where does the blame always start? At the top, MP Sir John Hayes, ex leader of the council Lord Porter. No leadership – and look how things have changed in this time? Sir! Lord !

Does the seating area require ripping out? A good clean-up would go a long way and make it more inviting. The patrol officers would be better off used patrolling the centre not spending most of their time in Holland Market.

Homeless people sleeping in doorways requires addressing urgently.

Make it a total no traffic area. Cars, vans, scooters, cyclists - stop them all! You put your life at risk just walking through the town centre.

The shop windows require a make- over. Offer new retailers cheaper rent and rates to try and encourage them to open new shops. Without the shops you will have no footfall in the town centre and people will still carrying on using Springfields - give them a reason not to!

Offer market traders something to entice more stalls. There are now two appointed officers to oversee the market, is that the answer?

To try and make this all happen I've not got the answers, I just hope the £20million Levelling Up money will be put to where it's intended and not be wasted on admin, expenses etc.

David Barfoot

Shepeau Stow

Fighting for a better service

It is a year since I launched a local campaign to maintain the Stagecoach no 37 service between Spalding and Peterborough.

I have joined forces with the National Better Buses Campaign, which is built on local group activity, but linking up areas from Lincolnshire, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Scotland has made the campaign much stronger.

I was a delegate for my Unite the union retired members branch at the national conference in June, attended by 110 people from a wide range of campaign groups, trade unions, organisations representing older people - NPC - people with disabilities, and individuals affected by our crisis -ridden bus services. With keynote speaker- Louise Haigh- Shadow Transport Minister opening the first session.

The event was sponsored by 27 national, local and regional organisations. Conference agreed to have a week of action in October 2023, with a focus on demands for better and guaranteed funding.

I distributed leaflets at local bus stations and engaged with many passengers during my week of action.

The key factors coming from my time with passengers vary from the lack of information, no help desk, fragmented timetables, confusion, buses not turning up and even drivers getting the pick up times wrong.

Also I spoke with people from Crowland who work in Spalding and Peterborough, who found the timetable difficult to link in with work start times and the return home.

I noted a much better service in Cambs compared to Lincs, with very good links from Peterborough City Centre to the City Hospital.

Stagecoach East managing director Darren Roe has welcomed news that the £2 single fare scheme will be extended until December 2024. This is something that campaign groups have been asking for along with extra funding to protect services in the long-term.

More investment for reliable services, better timetables, better training and conditions for drivers should be at the forefront of outstanding bus services.

Buses are a vital service for many people in rural areas, passengers just want them to turn up.

Rodney Sadd

Crowland

Rail travel needs to improve

I read with interest the article in Spalding Guardian about transport uplifting.

All round Spalding etc large housing estates are being built with no thought of inter structure - this includes public transport.

How about a revolutionary idea of bringing back train stations for branch lines which would connect to the main lines?

These branch lines were closed several years ago. Population has grown and branch lines are needed ASAP.

Moreover, instead of one-hour train running to Spalding should be half hour etc.

Lilian Barton

via email