Dear Editor,

‘Trucks contracted to Bosai are a hazard to Noitgedacht residents,’ SN July 4, by an anonymous resident refers. This, Editor, is yet another letter about many unacceptable things that are allowed to go on uninterrupted in the Linden community. The writer with reason complains with disgust: “At present the company employs a fleet of contractor trucks and fails to provide a safe location within the confines of their operations for routine parking, maintenance and repair activities… truck operators conduct all their repairs and maintenance works at this location, dumping their waste oil and filters without regard for damage to the environment.

The potential hazard of most concern is that of serious traffic accident…”

This is not the only area where this kind of random and ramshackle operation goes on; there are others conducted by other firms, eg, the scrap metal operation at the head of First Street, Rainbow City – where the exact same thing as stated above happens. Complaining about these matters is futile; do residents have to stage a bridge protest to have these concerns addressed? It does seem so. Why are the relevant authorities, the managers of the town’s affairs so lackadaisical? Don’t these dangerous practices concern them? Aren’t these simple and straightforward issues within their scope that can be easily dealt with?

The writer also mentioned that members of the police traffic department traverse the area daily and fail to see the potential hazard. Again, Editor, there are many other traffic hazards all around which the traffic department is blind to, and even when it is pointed out to them it goes through one ear and out the other.

Sir David Rose Avenue, between Greenheart Street (Zipper Johnson’s house) and Pittman’s shop is one such area lying in wait for a road fatality. Whenever it rains, water is lodged along this stretch way into the middle of the road, and pedestrians have to walk in the centre of the road directly in line with the traffic – children, old folk, cyclists, all scampering to avoid this long stretch of water. There have been many near mishaps, yet not one single relevant authority is publicly known to have done anything!

The question of blind corners must also the addressed by the traffic department, and the overloading of mini-buses plying the Amelia’s Ward and Wisroc route is slowly creeping back. These are some of the real issues for that department.

Lastly, Editor, pick any number, and say what you will about Councillor Ian Halls, one has got to commend him for the boldness, concern and passion with which he endeavours to bring to the attention of residents issues and practices he deems to be unbecoming, corrupt and inimical to the community. It would serve us even better if others in authority performed likewise.

Yours faithfully,
Frank Fyffe