To cycle or not to cycle - that is the question

Those of us who have been known to actually walk or cycle around the town know the ‘dangers’ of attempting to use the High Street.

I wonder how many have thought about cycling along the bypass. The markings on the road got me thinking. I always thought the idea was to use the dusty, dirty bit between the ribbed white line and the grass, trusting you get between junctions without a puncture.

The road markings suggest otherwise. As you join from a junction, you are directed as above. However, as you approach a junction, you have to give way to faster cyclists riding along the main carriageway. This happens at each junction; indeed, come off at the Hemel Hempstead turn and you are guided into a small lay-by and told to stop before joining motorised traffic.

Just where these ‘faster’ cyclists are directed onto the main carriageway, I have yet to discover.

I think I’ll just stick to the old road for now.

Well, the government has now shown its’ real colours.
Having removed democracy from local government, it has started on business.

I recall a year or so ago, following one of the accidents, a government minister being asked if they would nationalise the railways following these accidents. ‘Oh no’ came the reply, ‘we couldn’t afford to buy back the shares’.

This must have started the ball rolling to bring railtrack back into public control without costing anything. It was obvious really, most large companies (and a number of small ones) trade illegally by owing more than their assets. This is called ‘gearing’. It was interesting to see a list of large companies in this situation on ‘working lunch’ with railtrack only £130 million out and some at over £600 million being owed more that the assets covering this debt. Technically, they are insolvent and should stop trading, but I bet they don’t!

I must admit I have used this ‘tool’ when large companies have owed me a few bob. It does concentrate the financial directors mind when they receive threat that their multi-million company is about to be wound up!

By the way, if you are looking for somewhere to invest, then why not get in touch - I’m always looking for funding for one project or the other!

At last, local government will be allowed to make payments to Councillors. They have always been allowed to make expense payments for anything done outside the Town, but nothing for activities within it.
New proposals allow for both expenses incurred during approved duties anywhere and compensation  (payment) for just being elected. I hope that when the next election comes (May 2003) it will encourage more people to come forward and get away from ‘party politics’.

Whilst on the subject of change, it appears that the Borough Council are looking at ‘local committees’. My reading of the situation is that it will just extend the remit of the Town Centre Forum, which is so well attended, that thoughts were given to abandoning it. This latest idea must be an attempt to revive it. The big problem is that it has no teeth and frequently turns into a PR exercise telling us what ‘Big Borough’ has deemed to give us.

As I imply, getting information out of our ‘democratically elected’ representatives really is like extracting teeth.

The hour goes (or went) back on the 27th and all the creatures in our household are looking for warmth. The squirrels are digging the lawn, fireworks are being are being let off almost anytime and the leaves are blocking up the drains.

Ahh well, life is slowly getting back to normal!