Councillor won't talk about road accidents pledge (Swindon Liberal Democrats)

Swindon Liberal Democrats <info@swindonlibdems.org>

Councillor won't talk about road accidents pledge

October 16, 2006 5:22 PM

Tory Greenhalgh keeping quiet

Swindon Advertiser: THE cabinet member for transport has refused to comment on the last of Swindon Council's pledges.

When the Advertiser contacted Coun Peter Greenhalgh (Freshbrook and Grange Park) yesterday he was building furniture and said he did not have time to play politics.

Labour leader Kevin Small has criticised Mr Greenhalgh for failing to update the public on pledge number 50, which focuses on reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on the town's roads.

And Anne Styles, whose son Matthew was killed in an accident on Pinehurst Road in 2004, has branded him a disgrace.

When asked about the council's promise to reduce the number of accidents on our roads Coun Greenhalgh said: "I've got a full-time job as well as being a councillor. I work a 35-hour week in my paid job. I would like a bit of time for myself. I haven't got time to play politics."

Labour leader Kevin Small said: "I think his response highlights a lack of experience as a member of Swindon Council.

"It raises the question why was someone with that little experience picked to be a member of the cabinet?

"If you are a member of Swindon Council I would be surprised if you didn't know the Adver has been running the regular stories on the 50 promises for nearly a year."

David Glaholm, the shadow councillor on transport and environment, said road safety was improving in the town.

"The information coming from officers is that accidents are reducing," he said.

"These speed humps are not everybody's favourite thing but the boy racers won't respect driving carefully and we have to slow them down.

"If everybody drove at the speed limit we wouldn't need these traffic calming measures."

He added: "I know Peter has been going to meetings on residents' parking and perhaps he's been getting grief about that."

But Mrs Styles, 53, was disappointed with the Tory councillor's response. She said: "What can you say? I think it's a disgrace. It will be a different story when he is trying to get elected, then it will be we will do this and we will do that'. It's not on."

Last week Year 11 pupils from Commonweal School took part in a Safe Drive: Stay Alive campaign, run in partnership with Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, Wiltshire Police, the ambulance service and charities such as Road Peace.

The youngsters watched a film intended to educate them about the dangers on the road.

In August a car that had been involved in a crash in Wiltshire was displayed in the town centre to publicise the dangers of drink-driving. A motorist was killed in July 2005 when his Vauxhall Astra was hit head on by a Peugeot 206, the driver of which had been drinking.