There's a lot new to see for 2008 on the TRAC website. Take a look at the updated letters section and also at the documentation section - particularly the new information on extinguishment of rights of way. We've also prepared some new campaign materials, in the format of car stickers, a calendar and some planners.
Please read "A message for 2008" - Word or PDF
Below is a copy of the letter send to the Echo by George Parking after the meeting of the Coalfields Committee on March 2nd.
Dear Sir,
Last night (Mar 2nd, 2004) several members of The Road Adoption Campaign (TRAC)
sat-in on the Coalfields Committee meeting held in the new Hetton Centre. Following
the meeting a 'heated' discussion took place regarding the problem of unadopted
roads in Sunderland. I must apologize to anyone present if my attitude caused
offence. However TRAC's arguments for public funding to resolve this issue remain
valid.
When asked the question why had councillors ignored the many e-mails (over 50)
on the matter, cllr O'Hara stated that cllr Farthing had replied for them all
and did I want fifty e-mails all saying the same. Does this mean that our "Labour"
councillors do not have opinions of their own or more worrying are they not
allowed to express them. Either way this is bad for democracy and bad for Sunderland.
Remember this come the elections later this year.
When I raised the matter of public funding one councillor asked me if I really
wanted every council-tax payer in Sunderland to contribute towards resolving
the problem of unadopted roads - to this I said YES. I will go further and say
that I believe that every taxpayer in the country should contribute towards
resolving the problem of unadopted roads nation-wide, just as every taxpayer
is contributing to many other social problems that do not directly affect them,
including the residents of unadopted roads.
Councillors went on to say that it was not council policy to use our funds to
improve/make-up 'private' roads/streets. Well I must say that the roads/streets
in question can hardly be looked upon as 'private' implying some sort of exclusiveness.
Besides after the upgrading work, unadopted roads would be adopted and therefore
no longer private.
Councillor O'Hara also informed us that the Coalfields Committee are only 12
voices against 75 on Sunderland council. Let me remind cllr O'Hara that there
are many wards in the city affected by the problem of unadopted roads and most
wards have 3 "Labour" councillors, more than enough to persuade others
to tackle this long-standing problem. After all South Tyneside council and Redcar
& Cleveland council are upgrading their areas unadopted roads. Residents
of unadopted roads throughout Sunderland remember this come the elections later
this year.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. G. Parkin,
secretary (TRAC).
On behalf of everyone here at TRAC I would like to wish you all a 'Happy New Year'. I hope you enjoyed the festive season and that all is well. Now to bring you up to date with what has been happening during 2003.
Well unfortunately our roads are still unadopted dirt tracks, but we have managed to highlight the issue in the national press, on the radio and on television. The press report was a full-page article in the 'Society Guardian' section of the 'The Guardian' newspaper. Although the article focused upon unadopted roads in the Sunderland area it did make reference to the problem nation-wide. If you would like to read this article either log on to the Guardian web-site http://society.guardian.co.uk/societyguardian/story/0,7843,1067637,00.html or let me know and I will send you a copy.
The report on the radio was again a 'national' report as it was featured as part of 'The World Tonight' on Radio-4. Like the Guardian, this report also focused upon the problem of unadopted roads here in Sunderland but again it did mention the national issues. The TV report appeared as part of BBC-1's local broadcast of the 'Politics Show' here in the North-East and again focused upon Sunderland. If you would like to hear/see any of these reports you could try the 'web' or you could contact the BBC studios in Newcastle. You need to speak to Luke Walton (for Radio-4); Gerry Jackson/Mike Wild (for The Politics Show), Tel 0191 2321313/0191 2441228. Alternatively for the Radio-4 report you could send me a blank cassette tape and I will copy the report from my own recording. I do have a video recording of the Politics Show report but at this moment in time I do not have the means to copy it. For residents of unadopted roads in the Yorkshire/Lincolnshire areas you could also try Andrew Hill (BBC Inside-Out, Leeds) on 0113 2247141, as I hear he/BBC are thinking of doing a report on unadopted roads in Yorkshire/Lincolnshire.
Now for another couple of snippets of news. Here in the North-East, some residents of unadopted roads are to benefit from a 'phased' programme of road improvements and adoptions. Forward looking South Tyneside council is to carry out this work over the next few years via its 'annual budget', which means that this work will be done without any cost to those affected residents except through their normal council-tax contributions - so it can be done. I also received a copy of a magazine article relating to a court case involving West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council and a resident of an unadopted road in Heckmondwike. Basically the court ruled in favour of the residents and the council had to pay for the making-up and repair of Horton Street. Why, what was/is different about this road and the other thousands of unadopted roads up and down the country? Are there any budding 'Lawyers' out there that could help the campaign by looking into this case in more detail? If you would like a copy of any of these stories just let me know.
Some other good news is that I recently had the pleasure of meeting Lord Beaumont of Whitley (Green Party) who offered to take up the issue of unadopted roads in the House of Lords. This he has already done; see the official reports (Hansard) for the 2nd and 4th of December, 2003. Lord Beaumont has also sought the help of environmental lawyers who are in the process of 'drafting a bill'. As a permanent reference to the problem of unadopted roads I gave Lord Beaumont a copy of a presentation that I had compiled, using 'Microsoft PowerPoint'. Although this presentation relates to unadopted roads here in Sunderland, its contents, issues and arguments can be applied to unadopted roads nation-wide. In fact if you have the facilities you could simply replace the photographs of the Sunderland area with photographs of your own area for your own presentation. If you would like a copy simply send me a blank 'recordable' CD (CD-R).
Well that's the good news now here's the bad news. If we all want our roads made-up and adopted then more of us need to complain and 'keep the pot boiling' and form associated campaign groups around the country. I can't emphasize enough, how important it is to write letters to councillors, MP's, the press, the media etc highlighting the issue/problems of unadopted roads. National media attention is extremely important, especially now that Lord Beaumont has taken up the issue. In particular, please write to or contact the 'Today' programme (Radio-4) and/or 'Panorama', as I am sure coverage by either or both of these well-respected programs would help the campaign enormously.
Best wishes for 2004 and keep checking this web-site for more news.
Unadopted Roads in the Guardian Newspaper!
An article written by Janet Swinney highlighting the issues of unadopted
roads is to appear in the Guardian on Wednesday
22nd October. The article was originally to appear in only the
North East edition, but it was decided that the issue of unadopted roads is
a national one, and hence the article will appear in all editions of the Guardian.
Pre-Election Update
Nothing much happening in the campaign to get Sunderland Council to adopt and
make good the 260+ streets in the area, which have no drainage and no road surfacing?
Well, yes and no.
Here's what we've found out since the last newsletter:-
Here's what we've done:-
What have they done - NOTHING!
What can you do?:-
Newsletter to Residents
Dear Neighbour,
These are frustrating times. Just when other local authorities are appearing on national TV saying how much
they want to upgrade their local communities so that residents won't move out, Sunderland City Council has its head
wedged firmly in the sand.
The councillors, even those in senior positions in the Cabinet, have a TRAC record of not replyig to the letters sent in by residents worried abou the state of their local unadopted road. Before the local elections, TRAC had finally suceeded in persuading the former Leader of the Council to talk to us about this matter. Councillor Anderson had been quoted in the press as saying that the Council was reviewing its policy on unadopted roads. George Parkin (Campaign Co-ordinator) had produced a long paper for him to consider, showing how adopting the dirt tracks that run between our houses, and turning them into proper streets would improve the economic status of our area, improve the quality of life, and create jobs.
However, since the local elections, we have new councillors to deal with. The new Leader is Bob Symonds. He has started off true to form and ignored all the letters TRAC has sent him.
George has written an open letter to the 'Sunderland Echo', highlighting the poor image that unadopted dirt roads give the area, and calling on Councillor Symonds to respond. The campaign is constantly recruiting more members who are 'Tired of Really Awful Conditions'. This is despite the fact that the council refused to tell us where all the 260+ unadopted roads in the City of Sunderland are to be found!
There is absolutely NO CHANCE that TRAC is going to give up on this issue, so stand by for more publicity. If you know of other people living on unadopted roads, please get them to Contact George so that we can speak with one loud voice!
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