Your letters: Democracy, safer cycling and a 1972 M54 protest

PICTURE FROM THE PAST: in February 1972, protesters march through Tong to oppose the proposed southern route of the M54 motorway. The campaign attracted strong local feeling as plans for the new road sparked debate across the area. Were you there, or do you remember the controversy? | Shropshire Star archive

placeholder image — PICTURE FROM THE PAST: in February 1972, protesters march through Tong to oppose the proposed southern route of the M54 motorway. The campaign attracted strong local feeling as plans for the new road sparked debate across the area. Were you there, or do you remember the controversy? | Shropshire Star archive

From electoral reform to safer cycling and walking, readers share their views on politics and transport

Responding to my own letter

Not for the first time, I find myself in the bizarre position of responding to my own letter! Heavy editing of my letter (13 August) might leave readers baffled by its cliff-hanging ending. The mysterious two possible improvements to democracy which I suggested in the full text were replacement by democracy of two of the three stages of introducing a law - passage by the House of Lords and the royal assent, both of which involve people untouched by human vote.

Alongside my letter, Chris Smith rejects any change to the palaeolithic first-past-the-post system for parliamentary elections, partly on the basis of the purported "instability" of other systems.

Let's have a look at a couple of ladies, both with politics a million miles from mine, who share the distinction of being the first woman to hold the position equivalent to Prime Minister in countries where coalition government is common.

Giorgia Meloni is the second longest serving President of the Council of Ministers in the history of the Italian Republic. Her period of office began three days before the demise of Liz Truss, has encompassed the entire premierships of Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer and continues into Andy Burnham's tenure. Now let's turn to the former Federal Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel. Beginning her tenure when Tony Blair was Prime Minister, Dr Merkel continued through the periods of office of Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May, and into most of Boris Johnson's time.

It might also be noted that the British system hasn't delivered stellar results for UK citizens, with average earnings, for example, languishing well down the European league table, especially for states in north-west Europe.

Alan Harrison, West Midlands

We need more shared paths

Interesting to see the council has multi-million pounds for improving transport infrastructure.

Their current 70 plus page document ‘Walking and Cycling’ has no mention of shared footpaths.

National criteria for identifying footpaths have been ignored. These give a figure for the suitability of a footpath to be shared based on footfall per hour per metre width of path. There are miles of these!

My route into Wellington is from The Captain Webb via Admaston Road. On a typical day, I counted 20 cars which would either have to squeeze past me on the road, or be held up behind me. No pedestrians were on the wide pavements either side of the road. It would not be a major investment – just the blue shared path sign.

70% of car journeys are under 4 miles. Children are virtually never seen cycling. Parts of Arleston are 20 mph, why not all our residential areas and routes to Wellington, Dawley etc?

Mike Callow, Wellington

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