EEE...

I WOULD like to sympathise with N Marshall (letter February 6), I had the same experience.

I’m with Virgin who with Orange and T-Mobile share networks, they call themselves EE…Everyone Everywhere. It should be EEE…Everyone Everywhere Except BS48!

It’s ok now but not before numerous phone calls, they even sent me a new SIM card.

I was on the verge of buying a new phone when I went into the Virgin shop where the man told me I was the 15th person from our area who had come in with the same problem.

So Virgin was as bad as Orange at not admitting the fault - just let them try to charge me for the SIM card. Thanks for your support.

KATHY SHORTMAN

Newton Green Nailsea

More bins

AS A resident of Portishead, and an owner of dogs, I am finding it increasingly disturbing to see the increase of dog fouling that is happening on all of the walks that I use with my dogs.

Dog poo is left in plastic bags on the walks and not picked up or thrown into the hedge. It is left in bags next to the poo bins - do people expect it to fly in there?

I recently saw some hung on a gatepost. Individuals turn away from their dogs while they toilet and then walk away or simply ignore the ‘present’ that their favourite pet has left behind.

I am a responsible owner, pick up all of my dog’s poo and put it in the bin. It takes seconds to do it. Ok, it’s not my most favourite of jobs, but it has to be done, and is part of being a responsible dog owner.

What is being done to highlight the need to ‘scoop the poop’ in Portishead? Banning dogs in areas can’t be the only course of action.

More bins would be a great start, that are emptied frequently as the one on the path in the wildlife path near the marina is constantly over-flowing.

This is often a barrier to people picking up poop - carrying it for miles is not very nice for anyone, and if someone is fined, can this be shown in the paper as a deterrent to other offenders?

I appreciate that Councillor Knight is doing what she can to remind people to be responsible and whilst there are many diligent owners who do the right thing - you would be amazed at the conversations that develop around a poo pick-up - the dangers of leaving faeces on pavements and grass paths is clear. Not only is it a vile thing to deal with on shoes, wheels and paws, but the enjoyment of everyone is being overshadowed by a current wave of apathy from a new breed of dog owners, and bringing all of us a bad name, which is a real shame.

DANIELLE BIGWOOD

Oak Drive, Portishead

Crossing

THIS is just to remind any drivers going through North Weston, that the black and white striped markings on the road outside of the village hall is called a ‘pedestrian crossing’.

This means that pedestrians tend to cross here. So when you are speeding down the road, well over the much-ignored 30mph speed limit, you may have to slam on the anchors and come to a halt.

But if you are like the two drivers, on separate occasions, during the last week who didn’t see me and my young daughter waiting patiently to cross, you would just sail past.

It would seem to me that this really is an accident waiting to happen. Someone is going to assume that the cars will stop, as they should, and step out in front of one that doesn’t.

Maybe one day we will get the signal controlled crossing that this road desperately needs, but in the meantime please can you drive a bit more carefully?

MIKE HARVEY

Mead Road, Portishead.

Battery Point

I JUST had to put pen to paper to express how disappointed I was in the turnout for the unveiling of the Battery Point Bell at Wyndam Way.

If it hadn’t been for the dignitaries ie port people, Portishead councillors and not forgetting the two main instigators Annette and Carol there was only me and a couple of other people there.

My interest in it was that being on the Portishead local boats for 22 years I passed the point a good few times. Five trips a week outward and inward bound totals 10 times per week.

Then when coal boats finished, I joined SWS sand dredgers.

We worked seven days a week so that adds up to 14 times per week passing the point.

I was with the sand boats for 20 years.

Just thought I’d have my say.

P MILLER

Ex-chief engineer M/V Brandon,

Ex-second engineer M/V Sand Sapphire

Orchard Close, Portishead

Obvious

STILL it (North Somerset Life) arrives at a cost to the council taxpayers.

Councillor Nigel Ashton continues to tell us how hard it is to make savings in the ‘budget’ but he still carries on publishing this propaganda booklet.

At the last count it was costing £1,000 for every working day to publish ie £250,000 a year so why doesn’t he take the obvious decision?

All the information is duplicated somewhere in the county and I have been sending out his message for more than four years and that would have been £1million saved!

I appreciate that jobs are involved and work for printers but that was OK in financially healthier times but we can’t afford it now.

JOHN TATE

Farleigh Road, Backwell