Prediction over roads was right - Letters, May 17

​Back in the 1980s I worked in Birmingham. One of my colleagues read the Daily Telegraph and I read quite a lot of it - mainly for the excellent sports coverage - but I remember well an article then about the state of our roads.

Basically the author was writing about the fact that 'then' our roads needed a lot of money spent on them to avoid the roads becoming like the roads in the third world. Well now, our roads are often described as being like a moonscape or brought here from the third world. 

The man who wrote the doom and gloom article forecast that our roads would deteriorate to the state they're in now in 10-15 years without millions of pounds being spent on them bringing them up to a 'decent' standard. He was a few years out, but still we need to spend a lot more than our Government are prepared to. Unless we, as a nation, invest in improving our roads network there will be little point in the grand gestures of promising one and a half million new homes in the great five year plan if the road network is unable to effectively connect these homes to places of commerce, industry and leisure.

And who wants to be stranded out in 'the sticks' (ex green belt land) if the roads are too bad to support transport to and fro? You never know, such an 'investment' might help improve our economy too - Economics 101!

Call me a Cassandra (Greek myth) if you wish. But it's about time ordinary people were listened to by the people in the Westminster 'bubble'. You don't need to be a Civil Servant or Professional Politician to know that, just an ordinary working class bloke like me, who's got a modicum of common sense and opinions he's not afraid to speak out loud.

Michael Gough, Wombourne

Communities used to unite

The article on Hinkshay road brought back happy memories, when communities all pulled together, because most were in the same boat. 

Life must have been tough for families, but they all pulled together. If someone was ill or struggling, others helped out. Very few were out of work, because they knew they'd get nothing off the council or government. But councillors were in the same boat and did the they could.  

Hand me down clothes were used till they couldn't be repaired any more, then the were cut into strips and a rag rug was made. A rabbit or two made a good stew and vegetables added to it daily lasted 2 or 3 days, with a big slice of bread to mop the gravy up. Looking at today's problems most want everything but don't want to work to get it.

When times are hard most people then would be there for you, and you will never bring that back again. Unless there is a conflict or disorder and there will nearly always be some one to step up to the plate. They don't get asked to do it or get voted in, they are just that type, which unfortunately are missing now so don't go looking for the impossible because it's just not there now.

Brian Palin, West Mids