Limited parking

THE new Crest Nicholson apartment block ‘Sixty8’ is taking shape at the lock gate end of the marina in Portishead.

Underneath will be a mix of caf�s and shops. The apartments will be a mix of one and two bedroom apartments. The car parking will be in a gated car park immediately behind the apartment block with provision for the 68 apartments of one parking space plus a second space for about 12 of the apartments.

Just behind is a small public car park with boat owners having a call on some of the spaces.

Behind this car park facing seaward will be another Crest Nicholson apartment block with, one suspects, limited parking again.

So the obvious question is where on earth, in this already congested area, is everyone going to park?

There are a couple more apartment blocks either under construction, or planning permission granted, along the marina, again with very limited parking.

This will complete the building programme at Port Marine.

We have lived on the marina for nearly 10 years and the issue of the lack of parking and narrow roads has always been in the news.

The builders, planners and council have spoilt the area because of their greed.

I read recently that the council has said that it will no longer grant planning permission unless there is adequate parking for residents and visitors. ‘Closing the stable door after the horse has bolted’ comes to mind.

DAVID RICHMOND

Lower Burlington Road, Portishead

Vulnerable

I FELT I needed to say how vulnerable I feel trying to get out of the right hand single driver lane to join the left hand bus/two plus lane to turn left from the A369 into Portbury.

I think this will prove to be a serious hazard, because people have to assess when the left hand drivers are letting them cross in front of them in a short stretch of road before the turning.

ANNA MATTHEWS

Pill Road, Abbots Leigh

Improvements

I HAVE driven from Portishead at varying times between 8am and 9am in the last two or three weeks, ie since the traffic improvements by the motorway have been working.

All I can say is, at the moment, they are working like a (good) dream! I have sailed along at about 50mph and only met slight, and sometimes no, queues at the lights.

I was very sceptical about the improvements and will be only too pleased if I can continue to eat my words.

VIVIEN REES

Raleigh Rise, Portishead

Horse riders

WITH reference to Sharon Austin’s comments regarding the irresponsible horse owners leaving their horse manure behind them on The Vale, Portishead, could I just make a couple of points?

The Vale is a housing development built on farmland that was once likely to have been available for horse riders to ride on.

Horse riders are being squeezed out of a lot of land and forced to ride their horses on housing estates to exercise them.

No one wants to do this as it is bad for the horses’ legs and hooves and we would all much rather be well away from houses out over the fields.

Has Mrs Austin ever had to remount a horse of over 16 hands when the rider is barely 5ft tall? For some like me it’s impossible without a mounting block and we might be a way from home.

Also where on earth do we carry a shovel? This isn’t the wild west - we don’t have saddlebags. Please bear with us.

If we could let our horses do their business in a field we would but since the fields have become housing estates what are we supposed to do?

If it’s left on pathways then that is wrong as riders should not be on them anyway and I can only apologise on behalf of riders but maybe there’s a reason for them riding on the pathways - perhaps there is a problem with irresponsible car drivers.

GILL WEBSTER

Easton-in-Gordano