'Councillor' Brocklehurst at the Public Inquiry (again)

Still with Day #5 of the Public Inquiry, there's no point in talking about the boorish figure of Duncan Hollows (Siege) and his babblings apart from a priceless quote he awarded us - "I have not got the ability to foresee the future, so I am not omniscient" (page 52, line 13). Yes indeed, he is not God. Glad that's cleared up.

The best bit of the day is reserved for Joyce Brocklehurst, someone who we've talked about before, with particular reference to her contradictory calls for less traffic and more Industrial Development for Tintwistle.

But hang on - why does the Inquiry Programme call her 'Councillor'? She used to be, but now she's a Parish Councillor, and she admits as much, but has to point out she held this post for 16 years. 16 long, long years. And it's all over now. Shame that.

She's against public transport - "I do not think public transport is a good option for our area" (page 57, line 15). Well, I'm sorry but IT HAS TO BE. Private car ownership and the complete subservience of transport infrastructure towards it is destroying our environment.

And then she's onto her pet project. Two lines tells us all we need to know:

"I think this (Rossington Park) was built on the proviso that we had a Bypass" (page 57, line 18)

"it (Rossington Park) really needs this (the Bypass) to sustain a lot of the businesses there" (page 57, line 25)

She goes on to blame the traffic for the closure of local shops in Tinsle (page 58, line 17) - but the same thing is happening in Hadfield, and that has little to do with traffic, and everything to do with people getting in their cars to go to Tesco in Glossop.

But under questioning, she admits that although she envisages HGVs will use the Glossop Spur to get to Rossington Park (fuck people in Hadfield, that's not her Parish!) , they may still use the existing routes. It's not rocket science is it? Which route is the best one to Rossington Park?

A. Travel the length of the Bypass, queuing at all the traffic lights (which are meant to discourage HGVs apparently), before negotiating roundabouts, then the Spur and the hold ups to get to the A57.

or

B. Turn left down New Road, up Waterside, right at the Lamp onto Woolley Bridge Road and bingo, you're there.

It really is no contest, and she knows it. Why would HGVs go much further out of their way, and take much longer to do so? It's similar to the argument about HGVs using the M62 - coming along the A628 is actually quicker, even with the hold ups. And the same thing will happen with New Road, with or without the bypass.

The solution? No Bypass means a strangled Rossington Park. The alternative cannot be contemplated...

Bounced out of Tintwistle - the pitfalls of campaigning on a 'pro-bypass ticket'

One of the more spectacular casualties of the local elections was Joyce Brocklehurst - a Labour Party Councillor, former mayor and very vocal in her support for the bypass.

She made no secret of her support for it, and unlike many of her fellow Councillors (and candidates for that matter) campaigned on the bypass.

And she was duly dumped by the electorate in Tintwistle.

If you read this article in the Glossop Advertiser, she's very contrite:

I am going to crack on and do what I can to get a community centre for Tintwistle, work to improve our traffic problems and most importantly see what can be done about these unsightly buildings.

The 'unsightly buildings' are of course, Bridge Mills and Rossington Park.

But people in Tinsle know all about her. Back in 2001 at a public meeting, she was mewling and puking openly about the need for a bypass, and also revealed some contradictions:

We have quite a lot of factories on the waterside. We are trying to get funding from the Government to help [such development] and the traffic problem is not helping our case. The local economy is suffering and local traffic is hindered.

What a surprise. She supported 'developments' at Waterside, but 'wanted to do something about the traffic'. Where did she think the traffic was headed?

And now of course, she wants to do something about 'unsightly buildings'. Built in anticipation of the bypass, which she supports. How will she get out of that one?