Sports village will be a 'superb' facility

SIR - I would like to set the record straight in response to comments made by Ms Wraith in her letter ‘Centre not needed, says resident’.

Inspire: Luton Sports Village, is the town’s most economic opportunity to replace the dilapidated pool at Wardown and outdated facilities at Luton Regional Sports Centre and Putteridge Recreation Centre.

After a thorough investigation, Stopsley was identified as the best location for this development.

We will minimise the loss of green space, by demolishing the old sports centre and returning it to playing fields to provide new football pitches.

There will be better facilities for park users including a new mini pavilion, junior pitches and more changing rooms as well as access to a secure car park, new café and toilet facilities.

The external lighting has been designed to reduce light pollution.

The lights in the car park are designed to stop light escaping upwards and the building is lit by lights at roof level pointing down the building.

These proposals were part of the planning application and were approved as being suitable for the location.

A new junction on the A505 Hitchin Road will provide a safe crossing route for pedestrians and traffic from Cannon Lane and accommodate traffic to the sports village ensuring there is no adverse impact on traffic to The Vale Cemetery and Crematorium.

Arriva has invested over £1.3 million in new buses on the 100, 101, 102, routes connecting the sports village with Luton town centre.

The service operates up to every 20 minutes, starts early and finishes late, with full disabled access, meaning getting to and from Inspire will be easy by bus for everyone.

Ticket deals for families and other promotional fares are to be introduced to make travelling to the sports village inexpensive.

Affordable, value for money, high quality sports and leisure facilities in Luton are essential if we are to help increase participation in physical exercise, sports and active recreation by young people and adult of all ages and help tackle the serious health problems that exist in the town.

Inspire will give Luton a superb swimming and diving training facility plus a sports centre that will enable national competitions to be held here, bringing much needed investment into the town.

Cllr Hazel Simmons,

Leader of Luton Borough Council

Health is no waste

SIR - Surely I cannot be the only Luton resident who profoundly disagrees with the views stated last week by the Stopsley resident on the Inspire Luton Sports Village that is being built just off of Hitchin Road.

I do not believe for a moment that building a state-of-the-art sports centre in Luton can be a waste of money, and the idea that such a centre is not needed is ludicrous.

Are we trying to say that seeking to improve everyone’s general health and fitness is not an issue in Luton and in this country generally? Are we trying to pretend that the obesity epidemic amongst young people does not exist, and does not represent one of the greatest threats to people’s general health for generations? I regularly drive from Hitchin to my home in north Luton.

I have never known it to take three hours to drive from the site of the Sports Village to the bottom of Stockingstone Road – I can usually manage this journey in about 20 minutes in my car, even when the traffic is heavy.

Surely the centre will not tempt that many users from Hitchin and Stevenage, but they will come more from Stopsley as it is right on their doorstep.

I also just cannot see how a sports centre would generate the levels of noise and anti-social behaviour that is alleged.

I then saw John Young’s letter on ‘Hitting the low incomes’.

The Government has decided to unfairly cut up to £94 a week from cancer patients who they have decided are not recovering quick enough, and drastically reduce employment and support allowance fro disabled people.

What a mean, and spiteful, Coalition Government, led by the Conservatives.

Mick Wright,

Gatehill Gardens, Luton

I’m ready to talk, Roger

SIR - I read with amazement your article on the blocks that are to be removed from Downs Road, especially the comment from Councillor Roger Pepworth where he says he will talk to people.

I have written to Cllr Pepworth four times on the subject and I have not received a reply.

In my opinion it was a waste of money blocking off Downs Road as was proved at the meeting.

The only way to stop our estate being used as a ‘Rat Run’ is to block off Hillside Road.

I live in Sundown Road which is in my opinion not only a ‘Rat Run’ but a ‘Race Track’.

There have been six accidents in my road to my knowledge, four outside my premises, one writing off my wife’s car, another demolishing a council lamppost, another ending a few inches from my neighbour’s house, and two cars running into the back of each other.

Further down the road, a car overturned and ended up on its roof and another ran out of road and demolished a boundary fence.

If Cllr Pepworth really does want to speak with people and come to a solution may I suggest he starts by answering his emails on the subject?

Peter Cole,

Sundown Avenue, Dunstable

Campaign’s just hot air

SIR - Councillor Aslam Khan backed up by HM Revenue & Customs officers, is determined to check that users of Shisha pipes are staying within the law or face punitive fines of £2,500.

In the November issue of Lutonline, Cllr Khan goes to great length to bring to the public’s attention the dangers of Shisha pipe smoking.

My interpretation of his ‘do you know the facts’ in the same edition suggests that you can only risk catching and spreading diseases like tuberculosis, herpes (cold sores) and hepatitis by smoking Shisha pipes.

Always raising concerns about the heath dangers facing young people, the council and Cllr Khan constantly remind us about dangers of smoking and coming into contact with second-hand smoke (passive smoking) but never, never mention anything about the 50,000 people who die every year from air pollution.

Why is there a two-tier approach about informing youngsters the health hazards they face every time they walk outside their homes like just going to school or shopping with their parents? Why are there no campaigns and posters around Luton telling people about the deadly fumes they breathe in every day?

Could Cllr Khan, the tobacco champion of Luton, please tell me how many people ie babies, youngsters, and teenagers, were admitted to hospital last year with respiratory problems from inhaling toxic fumes? Young people can be protected from coming into contact with second-hand smoke, but no human being, young or old, can avoid breathing in polluted air.

Second-hand smoke has been referred to as the invisible killer but the visual air pollution from cars, buses, lorries can be seen every day.

There is always a mountain of evidence about smoking but nothing on air pollution. In this year of savage cutbacks, it’s refreshing to know a councillor in Luton is determined that smokers obey the law while closing down care homes, and needlessly sacking council workers.

When the smoking ban became law on July 1, 2007, several warnings were aired about increasing tobacco smuggling, but were ignored.

Another local paper and a national newspaper have once again raised the growing concern of illicit tobacco sales worth an estimated £1 billion, which will get worse when tobacco displays are banned from public view making access to illicit cigarettes much easier for youngsters.

Looks like Cllr Khan along with local councillors will have their work cut out for years to come.

Sean Spillane,

Luton

Top results for our cops

SIR - Well done to Bedfordshire Police.

With a £6.3 million reduction in funding, the leaner Bedfordshire Police have achieved tremendous results.

In a report published by Luton Borough Council, the Bedfordshire Police Authority has shown significant cuts in crime.

With the Force having to deal with cuts to their budget they were awarded the level three ‘good’ rating by a HMIC Inspection report last year, one of only five police authorities to be assessed so highly.

In particular the report highlighted the ‘Authority’s mechanisms for challenging how it secures economy, efficiency and effectiveness’.

The figures showed that overall crime levels were reduced.

In particular the number of burglaries have equated to three fewer incidents everyday compared to the same period last year.

Anti-social behaviour also fell by 12 per cent last year.

The report mentioned the effectiveness of operation vision which aims to reduce anti-social behaviour as a key reason for the fall in incidents.

The report also highlighted the increased functionality of reporting anti-social behaviour: ‘To make it easier to report anti-social behaviour the Force launched a new single non-emergency number (101) in September which has been well received by the public’.

With such impressive figures it shows that if every authority in the country could use their ingenuity as much as Bedfordshire then they can still make the cuts without affecting front-line services.

With further cuts to come it will be imperative for the Force to continue their momentum into the new year.

It was disappointing that the Labour-run Council had no praise for Bedfordshire Police Force at the recent council meeting.

John Young,

Chairman of Luton Conservative Association

Drivers just need to think

SIR - As an old Caddington boy I feel I must reply to Eila Goss.

I use this road at least twice a week and the right angle bend in Dunstable Road is completely safe as it is.

The ditch and the hedge prevent anybody getting seriously hurt as opposed to a barrier as has been suggested.

All it needs is a little brain to tell drivers to slow down and not watch too much Jeremy Clarkson.

Dave Fleckney,

Jillifer Road, Luton