THIS is a copy of a letter from Quayside Residents Association to all councillors at the council.

You will soon be making a decision about the Millennium Bridge in Lancaster. Before you do, please think it through. Many people in this country that The Millennium Dome is a huge waste of public money. Will the people feel the same about the expenditure on the Millennium Bridge? While some additional provision is needed for cyclists and pedestrians, a new bridge could turn out to be a costly political mistake.

In our view a more acceptable alternative to a bridge spanning the river would be to construct a cantilever on the side of the Greyhound Bridge, similar to the walkway on Carlisle Bridge. It is true that the latter does have steps and could easily link the cycleways on each side of the river. This would be cheaper, more efficient and less obtrusive than the proposed Millennium Bridge and would still provide increased safety for walkers and cyclists.

The same exercise could be repeated at Skerton Bridge. Such a cantilever would remove the need for footpaths and so make it possible to create three lanes of motor traffic. This would balance out the traffic over both Greyhound Bridge and Skerton Bridge providing three lanes of traffic on each of them.

We, on the Quay, don't believe that there is any need for a new bridge over the river. Our views have already been made clear. We feel that the Millennium Bridge will clash badly with the townscape and that the 100ft mast in the 'V' sign will be an eyesore. It's hardly the 'Angel of the North' is it? Need we say more!

Geoff Woodhead,

Quayside Resident's

Association.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.