No pretence to customer care

AS SOMEONE who would far rather commute into Liverpool by train than drive, I find myself now being harassed in an entirely unexpected way.

Arriving from the train to pick up my car from Prescot station car park on Monday evening (Feb 11), I was astonished to find a sheet of paper stuck on my windscreen from Northern Rail telling me off for parking “in the roadway” and that as a result, I quote, “Access is denied to other vehicles, including 999 calls”.

This was absolute rubbish, as I would never block any parked vehicle (and it could result in damage to your own vehicle). There was plenty of room for other vehicles to pass by.

There are no painted markings of any kind in the large Prescot station car park, so nothing is technically defined as roadway or parking space.

However, it is always packed with cars, as there is no longer parking at nearby Rainhill station and none at Eccleston Park station.

When Northern Rail conducts surveys at Rainhill, I’ve repeatedly made this point (why aren’t arrangements made with the two pubs which have adjacent big car parks practically empty all day?) but nothing is ever done.

For years, land lay empty by Prescot station, part of which would have been ideal for a car park extension, but again neither Northern Rail nor Merseyrail took the chance to resolve the problem and this plot is now being built on.

How can the rail companies make any pretence to customer care when they behave in such an inconsiderate manner to the people paying their wages?

G Burns, St Helens

Farcical assertions

I WAS surprised to read a letter from Liberal Democrat City Leader, Cllr Warren Bradley, in the Daily Post (“Budget Plans”, Feb 12) as he had stated publicly he would not speak to the Post.

As to Cllr Bradley’s assertions about financial matters, they are simply farcical.

First, I have never advocated a council tax rises above the rate of inflation. However, it must be obvious to the most financially inept that to fail to have inflationary rises (or actual cuts) in the council tax year on year will eventually lead to devastation of the council’s financial base.

But do not take my word for it. The District Auditor has intervened because of the seriousness of the situation. The Audit Commission have rated us the worst council in the country for financial management, a rating which has led to national embarrassment.

And once more for Cllr Bradley’s benefit, the Government has put nearly £30m into Capital of Culture – unfortunately, the council leaders did not act to ensure that their contribution was made as well, despite the Liberal Democrat leadership stating in the bid document in 2003 that it would do so.

Hence another big financial hole, which I and my Labour colleagues continue to work with government ministers to try to resolve. It is notable also that in terms of national funding, Cllr Bradley’s own executive member for Children’s Services, Cllr Paul Clein, has stated in the press that education in Liverpool has been generously funded by government.

The time for blaming others is fast running out. I look forward to hearing the verdict of the residents of Liverpool on Cllr Bradley’s financial stewardship of the City Council.

Cllr Joe Anderson, Labour Group Leader

Statue’s success

I WAS delighted by your double- page spread on Superlambanana, reflecting on 10 years’ reception of one piece of public art by the people of Liverpool. It shows how “iconic status” isn’t something you can “commission”, it comes about through people’s reactions.

I commissioned Andy Small to realise Taro Chiezo’s idea for this artwork through the Artranspennine98 exhibition (I was then Director of Tate Liverpool), and then passed responsibility for it, along with a maintenance fund, to Liverpool Art and Design Trust.

Laura Davis’s article points out how the artist wanted to comment on Liverpool’s future and important “sunrise” industries (bio-engineering).

But the sculpture was also understood to be a story about the past (lamb and banana imports after the war).

It’s a perfect demonstration that effective art appeals to the imagination and means different things to different people. Art with a single “message” tends to be short-lived propaganda.

It’s good, too, that our year as European Capital of Culture has resisted attempts to put a single meaning on it. Instead, by reflecting the richness and complexity of culture in Liverpool, it’s appealing to many people in many different ways.

Lewis Biggs, director, Liverpool Biennial

Family’s suffering

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with the widow of Garry Newlove when she calls for a return of the death penalty.

With the state of society as it is today, these gangs of yobs think nothing of the devastation their actions have on their victims and their families. In fact, I’m sure many of them think a spell in prison is like a badge of honour.

For a family to suffer what the Newloves continue to go through is horrific and beyond most people’s comprehension. Who can blame his wife, Helen, for wanting them to be denied the chance to taste freedom again?

We are living in a society where it seems the criminals have more rights than ordinary law-abiding citizens.

The sentences of 12-17 years for this gang are not enough. In next to no time they will be out.

It is the Newlove family who are suffering a life sentence. Not these killers.

P Moore, Wavertree

Proper sentences

MY HEART goes out to the widow of Garry Newlove, the Warrington dad kicked to death by yobs. While his death and the trial becomes a distant memory to the rest of us, for her the agony will have barely started.

While I’m glad that the judge in the case gave the three young criminals life sentences, they will be out by their early 30s, no doubt equipped with profitable trades and counselling and housing, and ready to start their own families. “Life sentence” is truly a misnomer these days, and it’s about time we stopped describing such a desultory term as such.

The only people suffering a life sentences here are Helen Newlove and her three daughters.

Pat Clifton, St Helens

Amending the law

HOW splendid that Sharia law has been amplified for a top legal audience by the senior Anglican Archbishop, as a supplementary addition to British law, provided of course there would be no conflict of laws.

The Government has encouraged the so-called multi-cultural society and a broader based legal system would help accommodate that society.

The law has already changed recently, for example to allow civil partnerships for adult homosexuals which are rather similar to marriages. So why not further amend the civil law for the benefit of Muslims in family matters?

J Richards, Wallasey

Sharia debate

I THINK Dr Williams is right to start a debate on Sharia law and its place in the British legal system.

Sharia law is based on a belief system which has never been in place here, so parts of it are entirely incompatible with the British way of life – not the least of which, women’s roles and rights.

As a woman, and especially if I was a Muslim woman living in Britain, I would be very concerned about any adoption of Sharia law.

In addition, the vast number of Muslims in Britain are moderate, and as far as I can tell it has only ever been the vociferous minority who have called for it to be introduced on these shores.

Diane Williams, Aigburth

Waterfront fiasco

WHAT on Earth are the designs for the Mersey Observatory meant to be (Daily Post, Tuesday, February 12)?

We really have lowered our expectations this time if we’re prepared to let any of these monstrosities grace our beautiful River Mersey.

Whatever happened to the idea of putting a sculpture of sea god Neptune at the mouth of the river?

Surely a graceful piece of art such as this would be far preferential to a concrete block – we have enough of them by the side of the Mersey as it is.

Back to the drawing board, I say, otherwise we’ll end up with another Fourth Grace-style fiasco.

B Davies, Crosby

Failed by politicians

I WOULD just like to say how let down I feel after reading that eight elected Liberal Democrats abstained at the crucial vote on the increasing of the tunnel toll.

These people are elected by us and are supposed to be there to make decisions on our behalf. By not voting they are failing us. If they are not prepared to do the job they were elected to do, then they should let someone else do it!

Furthermore, with the recent news that the Liberal Democrat- controlled Liverpool City Council is England’s worst local authority – I suggest that the people of Wirral think twice before voting for the Liberal Democrats at election time.

Alexander Silvester, Meols

A true artist

YOUR article of February 7, “Veteran artist hits the bottle – all in the name of Capital of Culture”, was a delight. Sir Peter Blake describes the dynamism of Cains’ management, which is surely true.

Having enjoyed the article, I turned the page to read “Letters to the Editor” and chanced on the negative comments about the actress Margi Clarke as a presenter on Radio Merseyside.

Margi Clarke of “Letter to Brezhnev” is a true artist, who has, and always will, present well.

Ms Clarke and Cains Brewery have one thing in common – dynamism.

Susan Fort, Heswall