Friday 17 June 2011

The Cambridge Busway is not the only victim of prejudice, says council leader

Councillor Nick Clarke
The Cambridgeshire Busway is not the only project in Cambridgeshire to suffer from prejudice, according to the leader of the county council.

Cllr Nick Clarke said he shared the concerns expressed by 'Bunker' Bob Menzies, headmaster of The Cambridgeshire Busway Project, who launched a staunch defence of his troubled works in a News blog.

Mr Menzies said "appalling bigotry" and "despicable prejudice" towards The Cambridgeshire Busway had a "dramatic effect on the self-confidence and self-esteem of many of the team we work with and must not be tolerated".

Cllr Clarke said The Cambridgeshire Busway was not the only project that suffers in this way.

He told the News: "There is no doubt that prejudice does exist - not only towards The Cambridgeshire Busway, but towards other parts of Cambridgeshire's Council's empire as well."

"The city of Cambridge and its residents suffer similarly from this misconception."

He added: "I have travelled widely throughout Cambridgeshire since becoming leader in May and have seen many examples of these communities working together to raise aspirations for themselves and their families."

"This is where the residents of this county are at their finest – rising to the challenge and refusing to be downhearted by some of the negative perceptions they hear about their council."

"For every project of Cambridgeshire Council we should be proud of what they have achieved and what they stand for."

Tim Phillips of CAST.IRON was not available for comment.

2 comments:

  1. I think the bigotry might have been less had a perfectly good railway line not been taken over in the process. That provided an immediate negative emotional background.

    A separate busway (along a different corridor) would have been a more neutral pilot scheme.

    I do seem to remember the inital CHUMMS report saying it was important that large schemes of this type should have considerable public backing - presumably the thinking being in order to help the council cope with the inevitable hiccups along the way.

    I don't think the public's heart has ever been with this scheme - not that any scheme which is effectively committee designed or the recommendation of an academic report could ever inspire the populace emotionally - on its own.

    Stephen, Cambridge

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