You are cordially invited to a Deep Purple record-burning party, tonight, Albo's beach-front place, Wyke Regis.

I'll give him smoke on the water.

These anti-road protestors really are just a pathetic bunch aren't they? And they are looking more and more desperate every day - what a bunch of fools! What next from this lot? So what gives Mr Gillan (who probably lives in an isolated rural idyll – far away from the madding crowd) the right to tell us what is good for us?

Democracy has spoken - accept it!

We have waited for this relife road since befor Ian had his first six string. I do find it a little bit gauling that somebody who has made his cash by world wide sell out stadiumtours should be telling anybody how to protect the environment, and let face it he aint bothered about jobs coming to the area plus Lyme Regis had a by pass

This is just laughable and complete nonsense. Please go away and play with your instrument somewhere else!

I wonder how many days of the year he actually spends travelling down the 'cart track' that is called the A354 between Dorchester and Weymouth, mind you it has been improved since they took out the original direct route over the Ridgeway that runs past The Old Ship Inn:-)

Perhaps he would like to hear our view of his actions - caramba@octafish.net

Terry wrote:
I wonder how many days of the year he actually spends travelling down the 'cart track' that is called the A354 between Dorchester and Weymouth, mind you it has been improved since they took out the original direct route over the Ridgeway that runs past The Old Ship Inn:-)

I must admit, you have a better memory than I have. I can't remember that far back.

Lyme Regis Eh?
How does he get from there to here then? Does he float /fly or what?Perhaps he bikes over,courtesy of a nice few straight roads. So much for his dedication to his antis then , another rat from out of the woodpile. Does he need a bit of publicity , desperate perhaps? Go back and practise your strumming old thing, or learn the spoons!!!!

We have waited a long long time for this relief road. I notice most of the Bypass the Bypass group do not live in Wemouth or Portland anyway so how dare they object to us getting a decent access road at long last.

PS,
I guess that aging rockers have to think of some cause or other when they are sitting under the hairdryer,( nice perm though) don't worry it will add to your creases, that road WILL be built.

go stick your guitar were the sun doesnt shine,and let weymouth people have there road

SpyInTheSky, The Real World

No, whatever impression I gave, I am not quite that old but I was looking at an old map.

Shame Ian Gillan is not here in Broadwey today, as the village is currently choked with crawling traffic and the queue into Weymouth stretches over the Ridgeway. It has been like this all morning and as any local will tell you, most days are the same!
He refers to the Bypass the Bypass web site as being the bearer of the truth...unfortunatel
y the information on this website is at best flawed and in certain cases pure conjecture!
NO...if you want the real story just come and spend a day outside my house in Broadwey, but be there by 05:30 and stay until after 19:00 and you'll get a true understanding why this relief road is long, long overdue!
Relief Road Now

I sent him an email at the email address given above but he hasn't had the courtesy to reply, as said above, probably still under the hair-dryer.

Purple rinse anyone?

So what's Billy Bragg's position on this anyway? Like anyone cares....

This looks like no ordinary hairdo, if you are reading this IAN Gillam please tell us all. Down the motorway somewhere,once you get off the minor roads and beat the traffic that is, appointment was it?? ?had to leave in good time to get there did you? how long then, to get there. Roads very busy ?? Looks very expensive, mmmm!

If, as Mr Dickinson says:

"the pro-roaders ... , should have anything to lose or worry about"

, Then why is he advocating wasting Taxpayers money (OUR MONEY ) on a futile inquiry? Futile because he seems to think that it's going to happen anyway (which it is).

Why not ask all the people who live along Dorchester Road what they would like. Probably a bit of peace and quiet, less fumes and the ability to get out of their own driveways without waiting half a day for a break in the relentless traffic!

I find it quite incredible that the majority of protesters to the relief road do not live anywhere near the area of most concern.
They have no idea of the delays and frustration that local people face every day in trying to leave Weymouth when they work in Dorchester or beyond.This latest FRONT PAGE item in the ECHO 27th August is a typical example:- ROCKER BACKS PROTEST, for god sake Ian Gillian lives in Lyme Regis, what does he know of the problems or even cares. It's a pity that the DORSET ECHO plays up to these people, In my opinion they are simply seeking a bit of publicity, he can sit back on his millions while the rest of us try to make a living.It's about time the Dorset ECHO backed the local people who want a relief road.

dear mr. gillam
you live in lyme regis yes?
do you commute to work daily from dorchester to weymouth?
no?
well repectfuly shut the **** up!!

MESSAGE TO ALL AGING ROCKERS , WRITERS ACTORS, PAINTERS,FILM DIRECTORS, AND ANY OTHER ARTY **** WHO WANTS TO MEDDLE IN THIS AREAS ISSUES, GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT.
ANY ONE ELSE WHO SUDDENLY DECIDES TO HOP ON THE BANDWAGON AND DECIDES THEY HAVE A CARBON FOOTPRINT TO JUSTIFY, CLEAR OFF ON HOLIDAY, DO SOME THINKING AND THEN DECIDE ABOUT YOUR LOYALTY TO THE ECONOMY OF THE AREA,
tHIS ROAD HAS TO BE BUILT, I CANNOT PUT IT MORE STRONGLY THAN THAT!!!!!

Well said, Tru Belle!

I used to drive through Lyme Regis on a regular basis from Weymouth and it was a real nightmare until they built the bypass. I suppose it is ok for you (native Londoners), but not us eh?

What next Ozzy telling us to 'bypass the bypass?' lol

To those of you who have been filling my inbox with comments on my support of the Bypass.

I am a citizen and a taxpayer in West Dorset and i am entitled to wish to preserve our countryside. The fact that i do not live in Weymouth has little to do with it. The bypass is bad for birdies and butterflies and all the other lovely fluttery things that i enjoy watching when stoned.

Why not ask the people of Littlemoor if they want a highway inches from their windows and doors?

Even when making snide comments, the pro-roaders seem to have little use for facts, despite them being printed clearly within the article. Try reading it again. Ian Gillan is a singer. He does not play guitar. Ritchie Blackmore was Deep Purple's guitarist.

JJ wrote:
Why not ask the people of Littlemoor if they want a highway inches from their windows and doors?

This bypass has been in the offing for more than 30 years. I bought a house in Reedling Close in 1993, and at that time the road was going to run off the roundabout there. I think the people of Littlemoor have had ample time to move away had it been that concerning to them.

Gladys wrote:
Even when making snide comments, the pro-roaders seem to have little use for facts, despite them being printed clearly within the article. Try reading it again. Ian Gillan is a singer. He does not play guitar. Ritchie Blackmore was Deep Purple's guitarist.

Dear Gladys,
Singer , guitar player, or what ever they may be , they are still singing from the same song sheet. Plenty of use for facts, and we are all getting rather weary of spelling the message out to those who know that this has been going on for years, but have decided to stick their oar in now. WHERE were you all then Eh. Snide comments seem to be pretty much coming from your direction.
This drum call says :
ROAD BUILT NOW.

To those of you who have been filling my inbox with comments on my support of the Bypass.

I do hope that Ian Gillan continues to get his feathers ruffled, That will perhaps teach him not to stick his proboscis where it is not wanted. Did he do it to get some publicity? Any way, just in case you missed it, you can send him a message(of support or otherwise) by email to caramba@octafish.net

Don't let anyone underestimate the depths to which the anti-road protest group will sink - those of us in favour of the road and the social, economic and environmental benefits that the road and its associated park and ride development will bring must remain vigilent and continue to support Dorset County Council until all the hurdles have been cleared.

Deep Purple and the Purple Phantom, are they the same thing? The colour purple appears to be popular today.
Would appear that the Phantom has poked himself in the eye also, as regards the Cerne giant!
So what goes on then, life is full of coincidences.

Remember, because Ian Gillan is/was in a band his view is far more knowledgeable and important than anyone elses .
He's made his cash, trucked giggs, merchandise, and flown around the world countless times and now wants to settle quietly in chocolate box Dorset. He wants YOU to sit in congestion, he doesnt want you have the new cycleways and he doesnt want you to have the new public transport route on the old road.
These people make me sick, they either dont live in weymouth or dont have to use the road every day for work.
They want YOUR children to have no future in the town, oh apart from summer jobs serving them their pimms, as the tourist industry will be all that bothers being here,
Ian, do something useful with your life please!
Start a campaign for real jobs for our kids, or better still invest in some industry here that doesnt need transport, otherwise, shut up

Don't let anyone underestimate the depths to which the anti-road protest group will sink - those of us in favour of the road and the social, economic and environmental benefits that the road and its associated park and ride development will bring must remain vigilent and continue to support Dorset County Council until all the hurdles have been cleared.

Not seen such a collection of moronic garbage for ages - what you'd expect from a bunch of road ragers I guess. This quote from Mr Beaman perhaps takes the biscuit. The so called lib dem who tried to get in on the opposite policy of his party. Try running some half decent buses instead, Mr Beaman.

Even if half decent buses were to run, they would still get stuck behind half decent caravans, and half decent 35ton lorries and 4x4s,and half decent ciizens going about their busy lives running granny to here and grandad to there and visiting Auntie, and going to a funeral and keeping an appointment , going to a wedding,physio, chemo, church , concert, shopping ,theatre,dog to the vets, doctors,
These are the lives we all lead. And when the weather isn't kind, there is a different take altogether. Please be united on this one.
Do not waste a penny more on enquiries etc, get the road built.

Well, who rattled your cages then? I hope your evidence for the upcoming public enquiry is a bit more convincing than this load of vitriolic nonsense, else no contest!

Have any of you blinkered pro-roaders taken time to notice how much this road has gone up? The last time I saw it it was £77m now it's £84m. How much will it cost us ratepayers by the time it eventually gets built? Whatever the cost it's far too much for the wholesale destruction of our rapidly diminishing countryside for the sake of a few selfish drivers who cannot bear to sit in a traffic jam now and then.

Wow - what a spiteful childish bunch of ignoramus's most of you are!

Firstly, ALL of the Bypass group are based in Weymouth or Dorchester - the fact that they have plenty of support from further afield than that just shows that intelligent people can be found all over the world. And anyway, ANYONE is entitled to have an opinion about this - it is NOT just a local issue - "Think global, act local" - in other words, grow up and start taking some responsibility for your actions and understand the impact they have.

Secondly, it is clear that almost all of the pro-roaders (perhaps "road ragers" is a more apt term) haven't even bothered to avail themselves of the arguments - the information is all there for anyone to read - so before you start spewing out personal spiteful bile why don't you do your brain the courtesy of actually reading up on the facts?

Thirdly, almost the only reason that the road between Weymouth and Dorchester sometimes gets a bit clogged up (and for goodness sake you pro-road lot PLEASE stop insulting everyone's intelligence by exaggerating the delays - even on a bad day it only takes 10-15 minutes to drive from Dorchester to Weymouth - I've done it a thousand times at rush hour) is all those lazy commuters who DRIVE between Dorchester and Weymouth on a daily basis when more than 90% don't even NEED their cars during the day so what is the point? You are the architect of your own problems! Weymouth and Dorchester are supplied with perfectly good train stations - two each if I'm not mistaken - so many of those commuters could get the train. You could also get the bus, or cycle or take a motorbike - or share a car with work colleagues - there are plenty of options for behaving more responsibly. The pro-roaders come across as ignorant, arrogant, selfish, parochial and unbelievably rude - just the sort of people who insist on driving a car for completely unnecessary journeys thus clogging up the roads when much better alternatives exist.

Fourthly, a bypass will NOT SOLVE ANYTHING - how many times do you need to be told? Surely you can't be that stupid? It will just be a parallel road carving up the countryside - it won't actually BYPASS anything - it'll just clog up Weymouth and Dorchester with even more traffic being dumped more quickly into each town at either end! How can anyone not understand that? Almost all of the congestion problems (such as they are) are caused by the Littlemoor lights - replace them with a roundabout as has been proposed many, many times and the traffic will run much more smoothly.

Maybe the reason Dorset County Council is behaving like such an unimaginative dinosaur and doesn't feel the need to come up with intelligent, simple, proven solutions is because it knows that most of its electorate are also unimaginative dinosaurs who actually believe they are being governed democratically and who honestly believe that this road is going to bring any kind of benefit - the same kind of people who in centuries gone by would have sworn on their lives that the world was flat. Sad, sad, sad.

Let me put a challenge to all you pro-roaders: why don't you clear your mind of all your pre-conceived prejudices - imagine that you have no opinion one way or the other - then start again reading up on the arguments - actually read all the arguments against on the bypass website instead of just imagining that you already know them - then try for a week or so commuting between Weymouth and Dorchester by another means other than one person one car and while you're at it - look at the beautiful countryside around you. Then imagine that you had to do two or three hours' commute evey day in and out or around London on the tube, the bus, whatever (which is what most Londoners have to do) and then thank your lucky stars, stop moaning about a 10 or 15 minute car journey, start appreciating what you do have around you and think about what you are going to be leaving for your children and stop just concentrating on your own personal comfort zone.

I find it really, really, depressing that the people who lobby the hardest for the road and the ones who are the most vitriolic and blinkered in their attacks are precisely those who are causing the most damage to our beautiful Dorset countryside. If you really care so little about our lovely county then why don't you go and live somewhere more urban and take your spiteful hatred there? Then, maybe you might start to realise how lucky you were.

Don't let anyone underestimate the depths to which the anti-road protest group will sink - those of us in favour of the road and the social, economic and environmental benefits that the road and its associated park and ride development will bring must remain vigilent and continue to support Dorset County Council until all the hurdles have been cleared.

Not seen such a collection of moronic garbage for ages - what you'd expect from a bunch of road ragers I guess. This quote from Mr Beaman perhaps takes the biscuit. The so called lib dem who tried to get in on the opposite policy of his party. Try running some half decent buses instead, Mr Beaman.

commonsense wrote:
Wow - what a spiteful childish bunch of ignoramus's most of you are! Firstly, ALL of the Bypass group are based in Weymouth or Dorchester - the fact that they have plenty of support from further afield than that just shows that intelligent people can be found all over the world. And anyway, ANYONE is entitled to have an opinion about this - it is NOT just a local issue - "Think global, act local" - in other words, grow up and start taking some responsibility for your actions and understand the impact they have. Secondly, it is clear that almost all of the pro-roaders (perhaps "road ragers" is a more apt term) haven't even bothered to avail themselves of the arguments - the information is all there for anyone to read - so before you start spewing out personal spiteful bile why don't you do your brain the courtesy of actually reading up on the facts? Thirdly, almost the only reason that the road between Weymouth and Dorchester sometimes gets a bit clogged up (and for goodness sake you pro-road lot PLEASE stop insulting everyone's intelligence by exaggerating the delays - even on a bad day it only takes 10-15 minutes to drive from Dorchester to Weymouth - I've done it a thousand times at rush hour) is all those lazy commuters who DRIVE between Dorchester and Weymouth on a daily basis when more than 90% don't even NEED their cars during the day so what is the point? You are the architect of your own problems! Weymouth and Dorchester are supplied with perfectly good train stations - two each if I'm not mistaken - so many of those commuters could get the train. You could also get the bus, or cycle or take a motorbike - or share a car with work colleagues - there are plenty of options for behaving more responsibly. The pro-roaders come across as ignorant, arrogant, selfish, parochial and unbelievably rude - just the sort of people who insist on driving a car for completely unnecessary journeys thus clogging up the roads when much better alternatives exist. Fourthly, a bypass will NOT SOLVE ANYTHING - how many times do you need to be told? Surely you can't be that stupid? It will just be a parallel road carving up the countryside - it won't actually BYPASS anything - it'll just clog up Weymouth and Dorchester with even more traffic being dumped more quickly into each town at either end! How can anyone not understand that? Almost all of the congestion problems (such as they are) are caused by the Littlemoor lights - replace them with a roundabout as has been proposed many, many times and the traffic will run much more smoothly. Maybe the reason Dorset County Council is behaving like such an unimaginative dinosaur and doesn't feel the need to come up with intelligent, simple, proven solutions is because it knows that most of its electorate are also unimaginative dinosaurs who actually believe they are being governed democratically and who honestly believe that this road is going to bring any kind of benefit - the same kind of people who in centuries gone by would have sworn on their lives that the world was flat. Sad, sad, sad. Let me put a challenge to all you pro-roaders: why don't you clear your mind of all your pre-conceived prejudices - imagine that you have no opinion one way or the other - then start again reading up on the arguments - actually read all the arguments against on the bypass website instead of just imagining that you already know them - then try for a week or so commuting between Weymouth and Dorchester by another means other than one person one car and while you're at it - look at the beautiful countryside around you. Then imagine that you had to do two or three hours' commute evey day in and out or around London on the tube, the bus, whatever (which is what most Londoners have to do) and then thank your lucky stars, stop moaning about a 10 or 15 minute car journey, start appreciating what you do have around you and think about what you are going to be leaving for your children and stop just concentrating on your own personal comfort zone. I find it really, really, depressing that the people who lobby the hardest for the road and the ones who are the most vitriolic and blinkered in their attacks are precisely those who are causing the most damage to our beautiful Dorset countryside. If you really care so little about our lovely county then why don't you go and live somewhere more urban and take your spiteful hatred there? Then, maybe you might start to realise how lucky you were.

Hark @ you!!!!

lol

To get 40 highly charged comments within hours of publication proves something!
I'm not sure why a comment from a has-been was considered as NEWS in the first place.......but, although the Echo has never been a NEWSPAPER, it is an excelent source of entertainment!!

brenda wrote:
Well, who rattled your cages then? I hope your evidence for the upcoming public enquiry is a bit more convincing than this load of vitriolic nonsense, else no contest!

The more RED tape the higher the cost!!!

FFS BUILD the ROAD and STOP bickering!!

If you don't like it F coff!!!

P.S Don't use the phrase I live here!!

So did I once but I left but I MISS IT Still.

If you wanna sort out the problem STOP the flood of IMUGRUNTS!!! coming in !!

Less Traffic, Less Crime, More Housing, More Jobs!!!

UK been SOLD OUT to IMPORTS!!!!

These comments would be so much nicer written in Latin.
I see the antis have got hot under the collar, and are stamping their feet.
Probably mostly women!!
Vituperative is the right word to describe these extensive outpourings, dear girls. Shows that you are not listening to those who know the score. THIS ROAD IS going to be built.

Axel.R,Ated wrote:
These comments would be so much nicer written in Latin. I see the antis have got hot under the collar, and are stamping their feet. Probably mostly women!! Vituperative is the right word to describe these extensive outpourings, dear girls. Shows that you are not listening to those who know the score. THIS ROAD IS going to be built.

LOL

3 lions is woth jack Sh1te

Ashamed to be a uk Born and bread Citizen

I/We have no say BUT still have to PAY our/there ways.
MOVE um out!!!

JOB DONE!!!

commonsense wrote:
Wow - what a spiteful childish bunch of ignoramus's most of you are! Firstly, ALL of the Bypass group are based in Weymouth or Dorchester - the fact that they have plenty of support from further afield than that just shows that intelligent people can be found all over the world. And anyway, ANYONE is entitled to have an opinion about this - it is NOT just a local issue - "Think global, act local" - in other words, grow up and start taking some responsibility for your actions and understand the impact they have. Secondly, it is clear that almost all of the pro-roaders (perhaps "road ragers" is a more apt term) haven't even bothered to avail themselves of the arguments - the information is all there for anyone to read - so before you start spewing out personal spiteful bile why don't you do your brain the courtesy of actually reading up on the facts? Thirdly, almost the only reason that the road between Weymouth and Dorchester sometimes gets a bit clogged up (and for goodness sake you pro-road lot PLEASE stop insulting everyone's intelligence by exaggerating the delays - even on a bad day it only takes 10-15 minutes to drive from Dorchester to Weymouth - I've done it a thousand times at rush hour) is all those lazy commuters who DRIVE between Dorchester and Weymouth on a daily basis when more than 90% don't even NEED their cars during the day so what is the point? You are the architect of your own problems! Weymouth and Dorchester are supplied with perfectly good train stations - two each if I'm not mistaken - so many of those commuters could get the train. You could also get the bus, or cycle or take a motorbike - or share a car with work colleagues - there are plenty of options for behaving more responsibly. The pro-roaders come across as ignorant, arrogant, selfish, parochial and unbelievably rude - just the sort of people who insist on driving a car for completely unnecessary journeys thus clogging up the roads when much better alternatives exist. Fourthly, a bypass will NOT SOLVE ANYTHING - how many times do you need to be told? Surely you can't be that stupid? It will just be a parallel road carving up the countryside - it won't actually BYPASS anything - it'll just clog up Weymouth and Dorchester with even more traffic being dumped more quickly into each town at either end! How can anyone not understand that? Almost all of the congestion problems (such as they are) are caused by the Littlemoor lights - replace them with a roundabout as has been proposed many, many times and the traffic will run much more smoothly. Maybe the reason Dorset County Council is behaving like such an unimaginative dinosaur and doesn't feel the need to come up with intelligent, simple, proven solutions is because it knows that most of its electorate are also unimaginative dinosaurs who actually believe they are being governed democratically and who honestly believe that this road is going to bring any kind of benefit - the same kind of people who in centuries gone by would have sworn on their lives that the world was flat. Sad, sad, sad. Let me put a challenge to all you pro-roaders: why don't you clear your mind of all your pre-conceived prejudices - imagine that you have no opinion one way or the other - then start again reading up on the arguments - actually read all the arguments against on the bypass website instead of just imagining that you already know them - then try for a week or so commuting between Weymouth and Dorchester by another means other than one person one car and while you're at it - look at the beautiful countryside around you. Then imagine that you had to do two or three hours' commute evey day in and out or around London on the tube, the bus, whatever (which is what most Londoners have to do) and then thank your lucky stars, stop moaning about a 10 or 15 minute car journey, start appreciating what you do have around you and think about what you are going to be leaving for your children and stop just concentrating on your own personal comfort zone. I find it really, really, depressing that the people who lobby the hardest for the road and the ones who are the most vitriolic and blinkered in their attacks are precisely those who are causing the most damage to our beautiful Dorset countryside. If you really care so little about our lovely county then why don't you go and live somewhere more urban and take your spiteful hatred there? Then, maybe you might start to realise how lucky you were.

Common sence indeed. Thank you for your comment.

Looking at the comments I would say roughly 95% in favour of the road - that ties up quite nicely with the amount of public support for the road I would say.

Build the road - give the area a chance in the real world, where real people live and live real lives!

Am I being too simplistic but why can't they just widen the existing road into four lanes - or is that too obvious and simple a solution?

Jeremy wrote:
Looking at the comments I would say roughly 95% in favour of the road - that ties up quite nicely with the amount of public support for the road I would say. Build the road - give the area a chance in the real world, where real people live and live real lives!

So where was the 95% of the public when the council asked the public to comment upon the planning application, and when Jim Knight urged / wrote to / local residents asking them to register their support for the project?

Well done to Mr Gillan. I imagine that if he were ever to have any doubts about the intellectual arguments, then they would be dispelled by the barrage of mindless and abuse and cat-calls from the pro-road lobby on this site.

I have followed the arguments for and against the road for some time (but only recently decided to join in). Though I don't necessarily agree with all of their comments, I have generally been impressed by the commonsense arguments made by those who oppose its construction.

On the other hand, I have yet to see an argument from the other side that is anything more than a slogan, anecdote, or wishful thinking. That observation is supported by the level of debate from Jeremy's 95% on this thread. I imagine that the lack of substance to their arguments is why they are so fearful of any independent inquiry.

As a taxpayer, I want my contributions to be used on projects that are properly and independently assessed as being worthwhile to the local economy and fulfilling a social need.
I certainly have no desire to see my contributions frittered away on am unnecessary road to nowhere.

I can recall a councillor making a comment along the lines of 'if the government is giving out money, then we should have some', and I see Knight's involvement as little more than using taxpayers money to buy himself a seat after the next election.

Posted by: why?, Weymouth on Today
Am I being too simplistic but why can't they just widen the existing road into four lanes - or is that too obvious and simple a solution?

That would please all the current residents both sides of the Dorchester Road from Upwey to Pier Bandstand !
They could all be re-housed in Lyme Regis and listen to Ian Gillan doing birdie impressions !!
KEEP THESE PEARLS OF WISDOM COMING, IT'S FOLK LIKE YOU THAT KEEP ME GOING !!!

why? wrote:
Am I being too simplistic but why can't they just widen the existing road into four lanes - or is that too obvious and simple a solution?

There is no need.
There are two blockages: Littlemoor lights, and Wey Valley School in term-time.
Sorting those would cost far less financially and environmentally, but DCC Project Managers and councillors believe there is more kudos if they can 'oversee' the construction of a new road.
(For God's sake, don't give them any responsibility!)

I do not live in the area so I would not presume to give an opinion one way or another on the relief road except to say this I spent my youth and teens in Dorchester in the 50s 60s and early 70s. In those days we used to avoid Weymouth in August due to traffic and parking problems. Whats changed in 30 odd years?

Dave wrote:
I do not live in the area so I would not presume to give an opinion one way or another on the relief road except to say this I spent my youth and teens in Dorchester in the 50s 60s and early 70s. In those days we used to avoid Weymouth in August due to traffic and parking problems. Whats changed in 30 odd years?

Dave, I too spent my youth in Weymouth during those years.
I'll tell you what's changed in 30 odd years....you now need to avoid the town from April to October !

instead of dcc wasting £84 million on a road to nowhere how about a rebate on our council tax that would go down better with a lot more people

When can we start on the Portland bypass ?

on the green issue mr gillam has created more carbon footprint, air travel,lorry to gig travel,helicopter arrival at gig travel, generators for power at gigs. he properly driver to London regularly......oh in his fuel saving nissan micra....i don't think so.
the verge of the road is the most untouched land around so all sorts of wild life can grow there. one of the most fought over bits of land was twyford down,winchester. does he take the old road around the down in suport of the protesters every time he goes to london?........dont think so.
i do drive a nissan mira type car(petrol 56 to gallon at 56 mph).
the other day i drove from surrey to dorset at a solid 56 to save fuel and polution, in the slow lane all the way because i never got slowed down or had to overtake anyone. sad that all the greenies are busy washing bottles and sorting rubbish but cant drive responsibly.........
..oh look kids ........look who is over takeing us it is mr gillan in his 4 ltr range rover doing 90!!!!

piddlerpete wrote:
instead of dcc wasting £84 million on a road to nowhere how about a rebate on our council tax that would go down better with a lot more people

I'll vote for that ! With all that money, we can all buy ourselves steam rollers and travel on top of the cars clogging Dorchester Rd.

What are you pro-roaders getting so hot under the collar about? It's obvious that you're going to get your precious road, whether some of us, with the same rights as you to an opinion, like it or not, so stop wetting yourselves and enjoy the fact that soon you're going to have your own private Dorchester Road.
Well done you.

As the only Weymouth residents who want this new road all live along Dorchester Road, why not use Compulsory Purchase Orders to obtain front gardens and if need be, entire properties, and make the Dorchester Road a four lane highway.

From what I have gathered the Yanks complained about the road when they were going to war on D-Day and it is still going on!!
When oh when will the bickering and back- bitting stop and the building start.

Gladys wrote:
As the only Weymouth residents who want this new road all live along Dorchester Road, why not use Compulsory Purchase Orders to obtain front gardens and if need be, entire properties, and make the Dorchester Road a four lane highway.

Yes, but don't stop at St Johns church...continue this 4 lane higway, on stilts, out to Portland. Obviously, do NOT have any exit between Upwey and Portland.
That should please Weymouth residents!

I suppose everyone knows and is happy about the fact that this road is nothing to do with caring about Weymouth or the residents of Dorchester Road etc - its all a master plan to then build a link along the Fleet (and thereby ruining that too) to build a huge port at Portland - probably containers, maybe a big oil depot etc etc. Big money is behind this - make no mistake.

Eric wrote:
I suppose everyone knows and is happy about the fact that this road is nothing to do with caring about Weymouth or the residents of Dorchester Road etc - its all a master plan to then build a link along the Fleet (and thereby ruining that too) to build a huge port at Portland - probably containers, maybe a big oil depot etc etc. Big money is behind this - make no mistake.

Nice idea Eric but i am afraid you are living in cloud cuckoo land, we are having enough trouble getting a little road to manor roundabout.As for your huge port there is no need for a huge port also we do not have enough water or land so you can forget that.

We'll see Mike. It certainly won't help gridlocked Weymouth, that's for sure!

Long and winding road.

How long now?

Opinions matter.

Mine matters most.

Get the road built.

Local business man, local business man, local business man,
How many are there of you then? Come out of the woodwork and get the jobs flowing, I thought thought you had been promoting Wmth as dead end street to stop the road going ahead. So there is hope yet then? Or are you afraid of competition when it arrives.
Relief road now!!

Mike wrote:

Eric wrote: I suppose everyone knows and is happy about the fact that this road is nothing to do with caring about Weymouth or the residents of Dorchester Road etc - its all a master plan to then build a link along the Fleet (and thereby ruining that too) to build a huge port at Portland - probably containers, maybe a big oil depot etc etc. Big money is behind this - make no mistake.

Nice idea Eric but i am afraid you are living in cloud cuckoo land, we are having enough trouble getting a little road to manor roundabout.As for your huge port there is no need for a huge port also we do not have enough water or land so you can forget that.

Mike,

You obviously don't remember that the original plan was to extend the road to Chickerell, run along the Fleet, and then on to Portland.

(As I recall, one of the main supporters of this route was the management of Portland Port, whose hair-brained schemes (invariably reliant upon taxpayer's money) have included using the port as an entry point for vehicle imports. On the face of it -looking at the huge land areas used at Bristol and Southampton for storing vehicles – it is a totally ridiculous proposition. However, although the existing land area is scarce, locals will be aware of the large area of shallow water within Portland Harbour that could quite easily be reclaimed, and new jetties constructed. And given that Portland Port own the lot, they could do so quite easily.)

Dorset County Council realised that - particularly because of the effect upon the Fleet - the extent of opposition to such a road scheme would make it a non-starter. The scheme was then split into segments, and some of those who would not be adversely affected by the northern section became active – if gullible – supporters.
So there is little doubt that the plan is to build it 'by stealth' over the coming years - and we have already heard councillors talking about a 'Boot-hill bypass'.
The 'Chickerell link' is already in place.

Funding of the Broadwey bypass has been a hot topic. I wonder how many of Dorset's residents are aware that Government funding (if it arrives) will not cover the entire cost of the project? The balance will come from Dorset community charge payers. Of course, nobody likes their community charge to increase, but it's that or further cuts in support services (increasing numbers of elderly beware), libraries, etc. That is just one reason why ‘non-locals’ (outside of Weymouth **** Royston Vasey) are entitled to have their say.

As I've mentioned before, councillors (aided and abetted by Knight in this instance) tend to react to those who shout loudest, rather than targeting scarce resources wisely, and council officers (like Piles) who stand to gain professionally from managing large capital projects, are never going to let alternatives get in the way.

I see Ian gillan is still pulling in the crowds...

Worry yea not,things will change for the better with me!!!
It won't just be roads we are talking about here.

Adi Nuff wrote:
Local business man, local business man, local business man, How many are there of you then? Come out of the woodwork and get the jobs flowing, I thought thought you had been promoting Wmth as dead end street to stop the road going ahead. So there is hope yet then? Or are you afraid of competition when it arrives. Relief road now!!

I certainly don't see Weymouth as a dead end street, provided that the street is correctly tailored to meet changing circumstances.
And I have no fear of competition because in a better atmosphere than that displayed by empty shops and 99p stores, traders and locals will all benefit).

What I am suggesting is that the limited monies available for developments across the UK and its regions should be targeted wisely, and that those who suggest that a new road around Broadwey will encourage new industry into Weymouth are being foolish or misled.

As I said on a previous thread, (http://www.dorsetec
ho.co.uk/news/local/
display.var.1643698.
0.is_dorset_facing_a
_skills_time_bomb.ph
p#comments) Weymouth’s geographical location makes it little different from any other seaside resort, and the Naval Base was only reason there was any real industry in the first place.

This area - with its Jurassic coastline and fabulous countryside has a huge potential. Properly coupled with exploiting / supporting increasing public awareness of environmental issues, Weymouth could attract a different type of tourist; wealthier, and likely to spend more money locally on quality products. That would have a spin-off for the rest of us, including better (and fewer empty) shops and produce, fewer holiday drunks and rowdies, and a better overall transport system.

Now we must remember that the root cause of the current road proposal is the long-standing desire of the residents and Broadwey to have traffic removed from their street; and the vocal Harry Burden worked hard to achieve that by latching onto the panic that set in when the MoD announced its withdrawal.

The new argument was that a new road was as ‘economic necessity’ (despite Weymouth having an extraordinarily low rate of unemployment). Unfortunately, instead of understanding and accepting realities, and responding with a bit of foresight that incorporates changing circumstances and opinions, our representatives seem to believe that the tried and (largely failed) solutions of their youth remain applicable to every situation. That observation is supported by the fact that whenever the council’s argument as been seen to be flawed, they have stuck by their plan but modified their argument.

As a local business myself, I am 100% certain that localbusinessman is talking out of his chuff.

That is all.

Albo,
Is your statement based upon your suppport for the Broadwey Bypass, or because as a resident of Wyke you do not want to accept
that the same thing could happen in Wyke?
Or perhaps a combination of the two?

JJ wrote:
Why not ask the people of Littlemoor if they want a highway inches from their windows and doors?

BUT THEY KNEW A ROAD WAS LIKELY TO BE BUILT THERE SO MORE FOOL THEM FOR BUYING HOUSES THERE. MAKES THEM REAL NUMPTIES DOESNT IT? IF THEY DID NOT THEN WHY IS THERE A CORRIDOR TO THE ROUNDABOUT AT LITTLEMOOR ROAD?????

70

As an Ambulance techician we have to drive along this road time and time again. Even with the Blues and Twos going it takes more than 15 minutes outside rush hours. When the road is clogged (most of the day) we are puting lives at risk.

BUILD IT NOW

ambulanceman wrote:
As an Ambulance techician we have to drive along this road time and time again. Even with the Blues and Twos going it takes more than 15 minutes outside rush hours. When the road is clogged (most of the day) we are puting lives at risk. BUILD IT NOW

Dont want RIGOR MORTIS to set in either, just in case I don't get to A&E on time.
YES,BUILD IT NOW.

Old Broadwey Resident wrote:
Shame Ian Gillan is not here in Broadwey today, as the village is currently choked with crawling traffic and the queue into Weymouth stretches over the Ridgeway. It has been like this all morning and as any local will tell you, most days are the same! He refers to the Bypass the Bypass web site as being the bearer of the truth...unfortunatel y the information on this website is at best flawed and in certain cases pure conjecture! NO...if you want the real story just come and spend a day outside my house in Broadwey, but be there by 05:30 and stay until after 19:00 and you'll get a true understanding why this relief road is long, long overdue! Relief Road Now

In other words, the reason you want the "relief" road is to move the problem from outside your house to outside someone else's house. Finally an honest reason. Well, sorry old boy, but I don't see why we should spend £84m just to move the problem on to someone else without actually solving a thing. After all that queue of cars "stretching over the Ridgeway" will still be coming into Weymouth everyday.

And to all those people who are saying they have been waiting for decades for this scheme - remember that it is therefore a decades-old solution and almost bound to be the wrong solution for the 21st century.

James Young wrote:

JJ wrote: Why not ask the people of Littlemoor if they want a highway inches from their windows and doors?

This bypass has been in the offing for more than 30 years. I bought a house in Reedling Close in 1993, and at that time the road was going to run off the roundabout there. I think the people of Littlemoor have had ample time to move away had it been that concerning to them.

Talk about two-faced! Haven't the residents of Dorchester Road had ample time to move away if the traffic was concerning them? Of course, they got their properties cheap because they were on a busy road, and now they are salivating at the prospect of rising property prices once the problem is moved to someone else's doorstep to the detriment of property prices there.

Can I just be the first to say I couldn't care less either way, it's all the same to me.
Judging by the petulance of most of the comments here I don't anticipate ever wanting to come anywhere near your little town.

LOOK AT YOU !!!!!

So, you havn't got the stomach to campaign then?? Either way?? Do not give yourself heart flutters anymore by making suck a thumb comments. What you could do before you have another tantrum ,is to appreciate the effort that most people have put in to make their feelings known, and given in a very healthy good hearted fashion. OKAY

John: I also support a Portland Road bypass, if only to get heavy vehicles off residential streets.

Look at you! wrote:
Can I just be the first to say I couldn't care less either way, it's all the same to me. Judging by the petulance of most of the comments here I don't anticipate ever wanting to come anywhere near your little town.

So why do you read the paper?

As an Ambulance techician we have to drive along this road time and time again. Even with the Blues and Twos going it takes more than 15 minutes outside rush hours. When the road is clogged (most of the day) we are puting lives at risk.

Sorry I'm in the same business and I know thats not right - especially "outside rush hours". The ambulances get free passage very quickly and hardly have to slow down at all. Might be the occasional slight hold up - which town in this country is any different?

countrylover wrote:
Have any of you blinkered pro-roaders taken time to notice how much this road has gone up? The last time I saw it it was £77m now it's £84m. How much will it cost us ratepayers by the time it eventually gets built? Whatever the cost it's far too much for the wholesale destruction of our rapidly diminishing countryside for the sake of a few selfish drivers who cannot bear to sit in a traffic jam now and then.

It's called inflation, countrylover. If you blinkered anti-roaders kept your damned mouths shut, it would have been 10 years ago and we'd have saved a truckload of cash. Perhaps you and your tree hugging cohorts could pick up the tab ?

Simon wrote:

James Young wrote:

JJ wrote: Why not ask the people of Littlemoor if they want a highway inches from their windows and doors?

This bypass has been in the offing for more than 30 years. I bought a house in Reedling Close in 1993, and at that time the road was going to run off the roundabout there. I think the people of Littlemoor have had ample time to move away had it been that concerning to them.

Talk about two-faced! Haven't the residents of Dorchester Road had ample time to move away if the traffic was concerning them? Of course, they got their properties cheap because they were on a busy road, and now they are salivating at the prospect of rising property prices once the problem is moved to someone else's doorstep to the detriment of property prices there.

Simon, there is nothing two faced about it. I think you'll find that most people who support the road do so because (1) they are fed up of sitting in traffic and (2) they see that Weymouth's future depends on it. In accusing me of being two-faced, you might want to consider that i do not live on Dorchester Road and i have nothing, personally, to gain from this road.

Albo wrote:
As a local business myself, I am 100% certain that localbusinessman is talking out of his chuff. That is all.

I don't think he is a local businessman at all - for a start his lectures are far too lengthy for a busy, busy local businessman? More like a foreign anti-road protestor in disguise me thinks!

James Young wrote:

countrylover wrote: Have any of you blinkered pro-roaders taken time to notice how much this road has gone up? The last time I saw it it was £77m now it\'s £84m. How much will it cost us ratepayers by the time it eventually gets built? Whatever the cost it\'s far too much for the wholesale destruction of our rapidly diminishing countryside for the sake of a few selfish drivers who cannot bear to sit in a traffic jam now and then.

It\'s called inflation, countrylover. If you blinkered anti-roaders kept your damned mouths shut, it would have been 10 years ago and we\'d have saved a truckload of cash. Perhaps you and your tree hugging cohorts could pick up the tab ?

More like 20 years ago, We always say no pain , no gain. This is an anarchaic way to ride roughshod over the whole of the population. These eco fumblers have done more harm than good, and a simple straightforward piece of engineering has created a huge headache for everyone.
Road must be started on time!!

Newt wrote:

Albo wrote: As a local business myself, I am 100% certain that localbusinessman is talking out of his chuff. That is all.

I don't think he is a local businessman at all - for a start his lectures are far too lengthy for a busy, busy local businessman? More like a foreign anti-road protestor in disguise me thinks!

Wrong!
Once some people achieve a certain level of success (i.e., least enough to satisfy your needs), you find more time to see what's going on around you.

I don't find it necesary to build empires, because I find enough reward in having sufficient to enjoy life.

Rather like Mr Gillan I imagine!

POST No 85
Is this a record (or the next CD from Deep Purple) ???

It's called inflation, countrylover. If you blinkered anti-roaders kept your damned mouths shut, it would have been 10 years ago and we'd have saved a truckload of cash. Perhaps you and your tree hugging cohorts could pick up the tab ?

Is this the same James Young who believes Sir Patrick Moore and David Bellamy are world class climate scientists... could it by any chance!!!!? Think you are the blinkered one, James.

James Young wrote:

countrylover wrote:
Have any of you blinkered pro-roaders taken time to notice how much this road has gone up? The last time I saw it it was £77m now it\'s £84m. How much will it cost us ratepayers by the time it eventually gets built? Whatever the cost it\'s far too much for the wholesale destruction of our rapidly diminishing countryside for the sake of a few selfish drivers who cannot bear to sit in a traffic jam now and then.

It\'s called inflation, countrylover. If you blinkered anti-roaders kept your damned mouths shut, it would have been 10 years ago and we\'d have saved a truckload of cash. Perhaps you and your tree hugging cohorts could pick up the tab ?

That's some inflation. the rise in cost from 77 to 84m happened in a matter of weeks

£84M .. and worth every penny.

(Probably just a few month's wages to some ageing rock stars or overpaid footballers.)

Don't forget that this is the cheapest it will ever be from here on..

SO NO MORE EXPENSIVE DELAYS.

Don't forget that this is the cheapest it will ever be from here on..

SO NO MORE EXPENSIVE DELAYS.

Any delay is peanuts compared to that massive scandalous sum. It would cost a minute fraction to radically remodel the Littlemoor turnoff and other unblocking exercises.

So plenty of delays please - hopefully permanant

Another Upwey resident wrote:

Don't forget that this is the cheapest it will ever be from here on.. SO NO MORE EXPENSIVE DELAYS.

Any delay is peanuts compared to that massive scandalous sum. It would cost a minute fraction to radically remodel the Littlemoor turnoff and other unblocking exercises. So plenty of delays please - hopefully permanant

Any delay is scandalous! you have at last got the message.
Build the road now!

Nope!! I want no new roads - period. OK!!! Got the message?

Very little reasoned argument again. No. It is not anti's who have stopped the road for 10-30 years it is Dorset County Councils inability in all that time to catch up with the government policy of the day and hence get funding. It is DCC letting their own planning permission lapse. Yes, it has been backed by Port of Portland and the expansion plans - I attended a lunch where they quite plainly put their case to DCC at Colliton House approximately 10 years ago. Despite DCC's determined efforts to eradicate public transport there are still some residents with enough social responsibility to want to use and improve it and they are right to challenge DCC on value for money terms alone.

Eric wrote:

It's called inflation, countrylover. If you blinkered anti-roaders kept your damned mouths shut, it would have been 10 years ago and we'd have saved a truckload of cash. Perhaps you and your tree hugging cohorts could pick up the tab ?

Is this the same James Young who believes Sir Patrick Moore and David Bellamy are world class climate scientists... could it by any chance!!!!? Think you are the blinkered one, James.

I may be blinkered, but not dyslexic Eric . I never made any such claim. However, as global warming is caused by the sun (and before you chortle and type otherwise, think about it a little while) i would think the views of an astronomer would be listened to. And David Bellamy was once championed as a leading light in the global warming movement. Scientific process clearly not your strong point, suggest we move on.

No, its not time to move on with mickey mouse science like that - too important. Suggest you read the letter in yesterdays Echo "Stop Arguing Its Time To Act" (not from me). Of course changes in the the sun play a part, by the way, but only a part. Its quite clear, however, that man is playing a huge part in climate change. but, hey, meanwhile why not build a few more roads and encourage more cars.

Deep Purple have been something of a guilty pleasure for me since my schooldays when I wasted many hours trying to play the guitar solo from "Smoke On the Water" ... I still can't - but at least I can own up to my unfashionable and now very dated taste. As an anti-bypasser, I am with Ian Gillan all the way.

( On the other hand, "Highway Star" must be a tribute to the pleasure of driving fast - for which you need a bypass??? )

Eric wrote:
No, its not time to move on with mickey mouse science like that - too important. Suggest you read the letter in yesterdays Echo "Stop Arguing Its Time To Act" (not from me). Of course changes in the the sun play a part, by the way, but only a part. Its quite clear, however, that man is playing a huge part in climate change. but, hey, meanwhile why not build a few more roads and encourage more cars.

Read - and responded to - Eric. Though how can you dismiss something as "mickey mouse science" when a number of the world's leading climate change researchers (and i am talking about members of the IPCC as well as a large body of other experts) themselves dispute the cause ? So it isn't at all clear and repeating the assertion ad nauseum without addressing any of the key flaws in the arguments does not make the hypothesis any more accurate.

100% of the cattle who developed BSE had been treated with organophosphates and nearly all cases couldbe linked to the south west of England, where Warble Fly is prevalent. And yet both of these were dismissed as causes (factual statements, check the BSE Inquiry research before responding).

And yet, the % of CO2 in the atmosphere is less than 4 parts per million. That's 0.0039%. And we somehow feel able to draw conclusions from this ? It seems incomprehensible that such a small change in overall percentage composition could have this drastic effect. Oh and the other point is that global warming isn't actually that global - conventional science now accepts that some areas of the southern hemisphere are cooling. Which points more toward other factors such as jetstreams, etc.

Let's be careful linking cars and roads to this issue. Clearly cars and roads destroy our environment (yes,i agree, from an holistic environmental perspective they aren't good) but here in West Dorset, until there is a concerted effort to provide viable alternatives, most of us have little choice. Kyoto is just a money spinner, the reason that Bush and Esso and others have signed up is because they know there is no impact on them - Esso/Exxon aren't going to see reducing fuel revenues, because the US government is simply using this crazy carbon offsetting scheme to justify doing nothing.

I doubt i'm going to convince you to accept this, any more than i am going to convince Ben Simmons. However, i would encourage you to be a little more open minded in considering it. I was absolutely pro-global warming and did my masters dissertation on it, but during that process i realised that too much didn't make sense.

Dorset Maid wrote:
Very little reasoned argument again. No. It is not anti's who have stopped the road for 10-30 years it is Dorset County Councils inability in all that time to catch up with the government policy of the day and hence get funding. It is DCC letting their own planning permission lapse. Yes, it has been backed by Port of Portland and the expansion plans - I attended a lunch where they quite plainly put their case to DCC at Colliton House approximately 10 years ago. Despite DCC's determined efforts to eradicate public transport there are still some residents with enough social responsibility to want to use and improve it and they are right to challenge DCC on value for money terms alone.

DCC has one interest, Dorset Maid. Balancing its budgets. Believe me, that's uppermost in every council's mind.

If a viable and cheaper alternative had been proposed, they would have adopted it.

It is very easy to dream up schemes but the commercials need to add up. No bus company will run services on which it makes a loss (unless forced to do so by councils, which admittedly happens). South West Trains will not run more regular services because they are not profitable. The capital cost of building a rail link between Weymouth and Portland would be huge. Most people in Weymouth do not live near enough to the station to make it a walking proposition. Using city transport assumptions in a rural area with no infrastructure is a typical environmentalist ploy. I agree with your aims, but the movement needs to pull its head out of the clouds and understand this is all about cash, cash, cash. If you really believe that government climate change measures (such as tax on 4*4s) are about saving the planet then i am afraid you are sadly naiive.

James- you are right,
everything is about cash. DCC is cash strapped , and the people of Dorset are allowed less per head than others in other counties. As they say you can please some of the people some of the time but-blah.
I don't think DCC are trying to eradicate anything, this government is'nt even trying, they are not being terribly helpful in keeping the country ticking over.
Nationalise the train system, get freight back on line,make train travel an enjoyable less expensive experience .

Now , If this road that we desperately want built does not go ahead, I propose that all of those who drive brightly coloured cars be allowed on the roads on alternate days, and those of us who drive silver or red cars, the other days!!

One could go a little bit further down the line when things become totally gridlocked, that is those that have an odd number on their registration plate will have to forfeit two days on the trot travel. Tough luck to all of them.

James,

In response to Eric, you said "Clearly cars and roads destroy our environment (yes,i agree, from an holistic environmental perspective they aren't good) but here in West Dorset, until there is a concerted effort to provide viable alternatives, most of us have little choice."

So, given that every community will consider itself a 'special case' when and where do you suggest we start?

Wrt balancing budgets, DCC embarked upon this because they believed that the Government (i'e', all taxpayers) would be funding the road. There will now be a funding shortfall, so the budget can only be balanced by increasing council tax throughout Dorset, borrowing (still has to be paid back with interest), and /or cutting services that are already being cut / stretched to the limit.

All in all, I'd prefer a bit more responsibility.

Incidentally, from my 'involvement' with the local authorities, I can say that the observations of Dorset maid and localbusinessman are accurate.

On the subject Of Climate Change:
We all know that something is happening.
We all know that human activity can do nothing but contribute to the cause and effect.

What would be you reaction if you and other climate change deniers persuade enough people that there is no cause for concern, and that the precautionary principle need not be adopted - and events then prove you wrong?

I also believe (from conversations with my 'PHD astrophysics' son, that your 'single cause theory' regarding the sun is dangerously inaccurate.

I presume that you are using the elaborate cosmic ray hypothesis, developed by, among others, Svensmark and Friis-Christensen of the Danish National Space Centre.
For the benefit of other readers, this hypothesis suggests by providing tiny particles around which water vapour can condense, cosmic rays help clouds to form. Overall, as clouds then shade the earth’s surface, they cool the Earth. However, during periods of active solar activity, cosmic rays are partially blocked by the Sun's more intense magnetic field. Cloud formation diminishes, and the Earth warms.
Consequently researchers from the UK's Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory (see this chap http://www.eiscat.rl

.ac.uk/Members/mike/

), and the World Radiation Centre in Switzerland undertook a new analysis. Their approach was to look at solar output and cosmic ray intensity over the last 30-40 years, and compare those trends with the graph for global average surface temperature, which has risen by about 0.4C over the period.
As you are probably aware, the Sun’s activity varies on a cycle of about 11 years. However, that cycle comes on top of longer-term trends; and most of the 20th Century saw a slight but steady increase in solar output, but in about 1985, that trend appears to have reversed, with solar output declining. Yet the period since 1985 has seen average global temperatures rise as fast as - if not faster than - any time during the previous 100 years.
The researchers concluded that:
a) "The sun does have some influence on fluctuations in the Earth's temperature, but our results confirm that recent climate change is not caused by the sun. We do this with a simple and direct analysis of data and not using climate computer models - which are often a cause of scepticism."

b) There appears to be is a cosmic ray effect on cloud cover, but that iIt works in clean maritime air where there isn't much else for water vapour to condense around.
It might have had a significant effect on pre-industrial climate; but that it cannot be applied to what are seeing now.

c) The data used by Svensmark and Friis-Christensen to produce their graphs stopped in about 1980. The reviewers found that the data subsequent to 1980 did not support the hypothesis, and they criticised Svensmark and Friis-Christensen. As professor lockwod observed (and , as you James, having completed your MSc will appreciate ), "You can't just ignore bits of data that you don't like".

James Young, Where did 4x4's come from? On that point it may just be the start of making people think about what they are driving and how necessary it is but that is all. Synical I might be but naiivety is not something that is usually attributed to myself. DCC could quite easily spend a few thousand as opposed to a few million (how much have they spent already?) to initiate better public transport. Is it called pump primimg? DCC however chose a long time ago that they were building a road. Do you remember when Dr Tapper was Council Leader? His speach went something like this "we do not wish to be told by Central Government what we can or cannot do in Dorset". That was at a conference where other county councils were talking about their successful projects to improve public transport; due to the quality of their bids to Central Government and their willingness to play by the rules thay had received 100's of thousands of pounds for both capital improvements such as bus shelters, safe routes to school and facilities at rail stations and also funding to increase the frequency of existing bus services (which is proven to work in increasing usage). Poor old dinosaurs could not even appreciate what an opportunity this was when it was as close as Kingston Mauwood!
Build the road if you must but then please explain to my grandchildren why you have done so and deprived them of decent teachers, classrooms and books;also my Grandmother (yes we live a very long time) the cuts in Social Service budgets as these 3 must all come out of the same pot. There used to be something called COBA (cost benefit analysis?)but I think it has been superceded by something similar which has to prove that the road will be good value for money without ruining the environment(local and global). On neither score can I see the value for money of a bypass for the entrance to Weymouth (Is there also a plan for Portland? I understood that had been removed)

anonymously yours wrote:
James, In response to Eric, you said \"Clearly cars and roads destroy our environment (yes,i agree, from an holistic environmental perspective they aren\'t good) but here in West Dorset, until there is a concerted effort to provide viable alternatives, most of us have little choice.\" So, given that every community will consider itself a \'special case\' when and where do you suggest we start? Wrt balancing budgets, DCC embarked upon this because they believed that the Government (i\'e\', all taxpayers) would be funding the road. There will now be a funding shortfall, so the budget can only be balanced by increasing council tax throughout Dorset, borrowing (still has to be paid back with interest), and /or cutting services that are already being cut / stretched to the limit. All in all, I\'d prefer a bit more responsibility. Incidentally, from my \'involvement\' with the local authorities, I can say that the observations of Dorset maid and localbusinessman are accurate. On the subject Of Climate Change: We all know that something is happening. We all know that human activity can do nothing but contribute to the cause and effect. What would be you reaction if you and other climate change deniers persuade enough people that there is no cause for concern, and that the precautionary principle need not be adopted - and events then prove you wrong? I also believe (from conversations with my \'PHD astrophysics\' son, that your \'single cause theory\' regarding the sun is dangerously inaccurate. I presume that you are using the elaborate cosmic ray hypothesis, developed by, among others, Svensmark and Friis-Christensen of the Danish National Space Centre. For the benefit of other readers, this hypothesis suggests by providing tiny particles around which water vapour can condense, cosmic rays help clouds to form. Overall, as clouds then shade the earth’s surface, they cool the Earth. However, during periods of active solar activity, cosmic rays are partially blocked by the Sun\'s more intense magnetic field. Cloud formation diminishes, and the Earth warms. Consequently researchers from the UK\'s Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory (see this chap http://www.eiscat.rl .ac.uk/Members/mike/ ), and the World Radiation Centre in Switzerland undertook a new analysis. Their approach was to look at solar output and cosmic ray intensity over the last 30-40 years, and compare those trends with the graph for global average surface temperature, which has risen by about 0.4C over the period. As you are probably aware, the Sun’s activity varies on a cycle of about 11 years. However, that cycle comes on top of longer-term trends; and most of the 20th Century saw a slight but steady increase in solar output, but in about 1985, that trend appears to have reversed, with solar output declining. Yet the period since 1985 has seen average global temperatures rise as fast as - if not faster than - any time during the previous 100 years. The researchers concluded that: a) \"The sun does have some influence on fluctuations in the Earth\'s temperature, but our results confirm that recent climate change is not caused by the sun. We do this with a simple and direct analysis of data and not using climate computer models - which are often a cause of scepticism.\" b) There appears to be is a cosmic ray effect on cloud cover, but that iIt works in clean maritime air where there isn\'t much else for water vapour to condense around. It might have had a significant effect on pre-industrial climate; but that it cannot be applied to what are seeing now. c) The data used by Svensmark and Friis-Christensen to produce their graphs stopped in about 1980. The reviewers found that the data subsequent to 1980 did not support the hypothesis, and they criticised Svensmark and Friis-Christensen. As professor lockwod observed (and , as you James, having completed your MSc will appreciate ), \"You can\'t just ignore bits of data that you don\'t like\".

anon,

Nothing new to add, other than to point out that there is an ongoing DEBATE about this, there is no "consensus view", and that citing the views of "local lad, PHD" does not diminish this fact. I am not questioning what he says, i am simply pointing out that there are people who have been doing this for years who disagree with him and the majority view. Yes, other scientists have knocked holes in their data - critique is encouraged in such circles and so i have little doubt that fault could be found in your son's astro physics PhD dissertation could be - but those other scientists have also been found wanting. The problem is that when you have a majority that is convinced it is right, it is easy for that majority, and the money that follows it (or that it follows) to be continually on the offence.

Science appears to me to be an iterative process, to assume that we've got it right now after so many wrong predictions over the last century is arrogant. After all, scientists at each stage were confident in their data.

I am all for precautionary measures, however, those that are being applied have little effect. Why does the government not reduce the duty on non-fossil based road fuels ? Why does the Kyoto protocol allow carbon offsetting ? Why are we ignoring all the other pollutants which, to my mind, are a far greater threat in the short term. I can't help but think that if the danger were real, governments and scientists would be implementing real measures that worked. They aren't.

As for your final comment, those guilty of ignoring facts are to be found on both sides of the table.

Dorset Maid wrote:
James Young, Where did 4x4\'s come from? On that point it may just be the start of making people think about what they are driving and how necessary it is but that is all. Synical I might be but naiivety is not something that is usually attributed to myself. DCC could quite easily spend a few thousand as opposed to a few million (how much have they spent already?) to initiate better public transport. Is it called pump primimg? DCC however chose a long time ago that they were building a road. Do you remember when Dr Tapper was Council Leader? His speach went something like this \"we do not wish to be told by Central Government what we can or cannot do in Dorset\". That was at a conference where other county councils were talking about their successful projects to improve public transport; due to the quality of their bids to Central Government and their willingness to play by the rules thay had received 100\'s of thousands of pounds for both capital improvements such as bus shelters, safe routes to school and facilities at rail stations and also funding to increase the frequency of existing bus services (which is proven to work in increasing usage). Poor old dinosaurs could not even appreciate what an opportunity this was when it was as close as Kingston Mauwood! Build the road if you must but then please explain to my grandchildren why you have done so and deprived them of decent teachers, classrooms and books;also my Grandmother (yes we live a very long time) the cuts in Social Service budgets as these 3 must all come out of the same pot. There used to be something called COBA (cost benefit analysis?)but I think it has been superceded by something similar which has to prove that the road will be good value for money without ruining the environment(local and global). On neither score can I see the value for money of a bypass for the entrance to Weymouth (Is there also a plan for Portland? I understood that had been removed)

I'll happily explain to your grandchildren why we did so. Only i doubt they'll be that interested. More money is wasted on unemployment benefits, government initiatives to aid so called refugees, initiatives to redesign government department logos, etc; than will ever be spent on this road. But by the time your grandchildren are old enough to care, the road will be old news.

The £6bn we pay (net) to the EU every year, the £13bn we pay to Scotland and the billions that are spent on climate change initiatives of questionable value are having far more of an impact on social services.

maggawags wrote:
James- you are right, everything is about cash. DCC is cash strapped , and the people of Dorset are allowed less per head than others in other counties. As they say you can please some of the people some of the time but-blah. I don't think DCC are trying to eradicate anything, this government is'nt even trying, they are not being terribly helpful in keeping the country ticking over. Nationalise the train system, get freight back on line,make train travel an enjoyable less expensive experience . Now , If this road that we desperately want built does not go ahead, I propose that all of those who drive brightly coloured cars be allowed on the roads on alternate days, and those of us who drive silver or red cars, the other days!! One could go a little bit further down the line when things become totally gridlocked, that is those that have an odd number on their registration plate will have to forfeit two days on the trot travel. Tough luck to all of them.

maggs,

Although a lifelong Tory, it dawned on me during the last election that privatising national assets such as the rail and bus networks, and paying private companies to run hospitals, prisons and schools, was an act of stupidity. How you are supposed to benefit when these companies are creaming a fat profit margin from them is beyond me.

Although i may appear to have the opposite view, i believe that the road is simply the best of a heap of bad options. We have no choice but to build it, but afterward i agree there needs to be a lot more thought put into how we can avoid building another. My views on human sponsored climate change are well known but there is another looming problem - the oil is running out, and small oil price increases have been shown to have a direct negative impact on growth. Spiralling oil prices would destroy our economy and cause a lot of people a lot of hardship. What is needed is a governemnt that can make decisions such as that taken by Sweden - which aims to be free of its oil addiction by 2010, or Brazil, which is insisting that a proportion of all new cars are able to run on green fuels.

James,
The green fuel used in Brazil (and proposed as a palliative elsewhere) has the undesirable effects of promoting monocultures, devastating rainforests, or requiring (to meet just part of its current fuel needs) that most of Europe's agricultural land be diverted away from food production.

I agree that the precautionary measures currently being applied have little effect. That will remain the case until action matches the rhetoric, but politicians will wait until growing and unpalatable issues become an expensive and difficult problem.

Until climate change doubters can come upo with the goods to persuade them, then we have to go with the majority whose activities will at least reduce the projected impact.

Re your comment to Dorsetmaid about refugees, what we see now is a mere precursor. Wait until rising sea-levels and soutehr hemisphere droughts start to bite!

The world population is so vast that the search for water and right temperatures for growing food is endless. In Southern Africa there has been a terrible drought and crop failure, by feeding the millions whose own countries have suffered, they are now find themselves with a shortfall. coupled with higher prices, and an erratic climate but an ever increasing population who have enjoyed the benefits of a higher standard of living. Expensive motors are seen driven by Africans, there is a green fuel available.
However these crops are grown in rich agricultural land, at the expense of edible cereal crops!! Moral dilemnas all round.
Transport infrastructure is paid for by the state , but the major ones are toll roads, it is functional, and moves people around.
Motor ways are quite sophisticated, and use solar panels for various communications. They are also lucky beacause their roads do not seem to melt!!
The point I am trying to make is, as we expand our boundaries, we have no choice in the matter , we do need our cars.
In the old days ,35yrs ago+ One could walk into Dorchester, say on a Friday, pick up your fish from the fish shop,visit the grocers,buy some bread and veg and walk home and prepare it. The only grocer type shop now,if you want to call it that is M+S, not very sustainable is it.
The market was/is the place to buy fresh produce, still within anyones walking distance, and there were all the market buses,lots of them!!!

This relief road may be like lancing a boil, or taking a bad tooth out.When it is finished/over, everyone will say 'AH, that feels better already, no pain /no gain.'
So just whether we have a very wicked fuel crisis, meaning the Russians playing silly games, or worsening middle east scenario, then we will have to really ration our journeys, heating etc, we will at least have a nice clean road to admire and say well we fought hard for that!!!

anonymously yours wrote:
James, The green fuel used in Brazil (and proposed as a palliative elsewhere) has the undesirable effects of promoting monocultures, devastating rainforests, or requiring (to meet just part of its current fuel needs) that most of Europe's agricultural land be diverted away from food production. I agree that the precautionary measures currently being applied have little effect. That will remain the case until action matches the rhetoric, but politicians will wait until growing and unpalatable issues become an expensive and difficult problem. Until climate change doubters can come upo with the goods to persuade them, then we have to go with the majority whose activities will at least reduce the projected impact. Re your comment to Dorsetmaid about refugees, what we see now is a mere precursor. Wait until rising sea-levels and soutehr hemisphere droughts start to bite!

Anon,

We agree. Current green fuels (i'm thinking specifically about biodiesel) don't need to completely replace fossil fuels though. Just swapping 10-20% of current fuels with bio alternatives in a mixture would have the effect of massively reducing emissions for your climate change buddies and a similar reduction in fossil fuel consumption for my Peak Oil chums.

I'm not banking on sea level rises - the desalination of the north sea will slow the north atlantic conveyor, temperatures will drop, the ice cap will get more icy. That's one theory anyway (because scientists are seemingly unsure of the consequences as others are about the causes). I'm also doubtful about the southern hemisphere droughts - "global warming" (cough) seems to be a northern hemisphere problem, or at least the effects are more pronounced there.

He's still an ignorant tw*t, who doesn't ever use the existing road and won't use the new one.

Butt out!!.........stay up your own end!!!

lol

Jac wrote:
He's still an ignorant tw*t, who doesn't ever use the existing road and won't use the new one. Butt out!!.........stay up your own end!!! lol

Go on ,chuck your teddy bear out !!

Can anyone answer this.?
Why do we have to wait so long for the inquiry and why will it take 6 weeks to complete?
With Christmas and the New Year in all that, the outcome will not be known until well into January! (or later)

Jac wrote:
He's still an ignorant tw*t, who doesn't ever use the existing road and won't use the new one. Butt out!!.........stay up your own end!!! lol

Who was that aimed at Jac ? Surely not me.

Des Pondent wrote:
Can anyone answer this.? Why do we have to wait so long for the inquiry and why will it take 6 weeks to complete? With Christmas and the New Year in all that, the outcome will not be known until well into January! (or later)

.....by which time, according to some, Weymouth will be under water, a victim of globawarmin

teehee. Couldn't resist.

Reckon we can get this thread to 200 posts ?

James Young wrote:

Jac wrote: He's still an ignorant tw*t, who doesn't ever use the existing road and won't use the new one. Butt out!!.........stay up your own end!!! lol

Who was that aimed at Jac ? Surely not me.

James... absolutely not!!!...the tw*t at the top!

Im a nice girl me!!! lol

can you chuck me back my teddy bears please!???

It seems this chap's 'intervention' has annoyed a great number of people in the Weymouth area - judging by the letters in the Echo recently. And quite frankly they are right! I think this has got peoples back up and will backfire on the likes of Bypassthebrain or whatever there called.

The message is plain and simple; keep you nose out of other people's business!

Another Upwey resident wrote:
Nope!! I want no new roads - period. OK!!! Got the message?

I am really pleased to see an Upwey Resident opposing the road.
The anti-road brigade who claimed that those of us in Upwey only want the road because of the increase in house prices, have been proved wrong after all!

I am looking forward to the enquiry to be over and the roadbuilding to begin.

Just to remind everyone how important the building of the relief road is:
Doing nothing cannot be an option. For a few years opposition groups have cited the much duplicated 33 reasons why the relief road should not be built.
I now propose my 33 as to why it should be built:
1. The Government has approved funding.
2. Our local MP together with the majority of local people support the building of a relief road.
3. The need for a relief road was identified over 50 years ago.
4. The proposed building of the relief road has been included in local development plans for the last 40 years and is evident geographically with the visually allocated corridors at Manor road and Littlemoor roundabouts.
5. Decisions both on a personal, business, and community basis have been made on the expected completion of the relief road.
6. The populace of the boroughs and locality have increased without any corresponding improvement to the road infrastructure.
7. The first leg of the bypass (Weymouth Way) has been completed.
8. With the Accident and Emergency centred now based at Dorchester wailing ambulances crawl back and forth through Redlands, Broadwey and Upwey. The relief road will allow ambulances and other emergency vehicles safer and less intrusive journeys.
9. The relief road will be purpose built and safer to all road users.
10. The existing road is dangerous and unfortunately there have been numerous serious and fatal accidents in the years I have lived in North Weymouth.
11. The existing road includes a low bridge and scene of frequent accidents.
12. The existing road is not just a residential road, but is also a feeder road and the only viable road for traffic heading in and out of Weymouth. Thousands live on or close to the road and have to leave and access this road!
13. Beneath the existing road run the services to the adjacent homes. These have to be accessed for maintenance and repair, adding further to the congestion and strain on local roads.
14. Vehicles increasingly drive along unsuitable local village and country roads so as to avoid the Dorchester Road congestion, making them unpleasant and hazardous to all users.
15. The relief road will take the rat running traffic away from villages such as Winterbourne Monkton and Herringston, Broadwey, Upwey, Nottington, Radipole and Portesham and allow proposed traffic calming measures to be completed.
16. The relief road, by its routing adjacent to the existing railway line, choice of materials, grading and landscaping will importantly limit its impact on the local environment.
17. Claims by some protesters that it is normal to have 23,000 vehicles (probably closer to 30,000 now) passing just a few feet away from front doors of houses seems incredulous and insensitive.
18. The environment quality of the local populace is, in my opinion, just as important as those species found along the proposed route. A lot has been claimed about the environmental' damage the relief road may cause, but very little has being said about the lives of the thousands of residents already blighted by the existing road.
19. The proposed country park, to be bought and managed in mitigation of the relief road construction, will be a wonderful asset and allow access to land that is mostly inaccessible at present.
20. The construction of relief road will allow the introduction of a viable local public transport system.
21. The relief road includes provision of cycle lanes but most importantly allows local people safe routes on the existing Dorchester Road.
22. There are many listed buildings along the existing road, all of which are exposed daily to the shaking from heavy lorries and track vehicles. The relief road will significantly reduce this impact, so preserving the history of these important legacies of our heritage.
23. The relief road has the support of the Weymouth Civic Society.
24. The relief road has the support of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.
25. The relief road has the support of W&P Chamber of Commerce, and can be expected to bring economic benefits to the town.
26. The relief road has the support of both the SW Regional Assembly and Regional Development Agency.
27. The relief road, as shown in the 2005 application and preferred local option, had the support of Winterbourne Farringdon Parish Council.
28. The relief road is vital for provision of a successful and green' Olympic Games, and with the provision of a large Park & Ride facility, viable public transport, and purpose built cycle lanes will be a credit to the planners.
29. The relief road will be a lasting legacy from the Olympic Games.
30. The relief road plans also include improvements to the Tesco roundabout at Dorchester, an existing bottleneck on the A35/A354 interchange.
31. The relief road plans includes realignment of Littlemoor road away from the majority of existing dwellings 32. The relief road will at long last provide safe access to all of the local Primary and Secondary schools in North Weymouth, by removing the volume of traffic passing by them.
33. The relief road should be built NOW! Even after 40 years of talking no viable options have been proposed !

No offence to you good people, but Ian Gillan is a gentleman. I met him when I was 18 and impressionable, and he made a GOOD impression. Behind the long hair (this was 1980) was an erudite chap who didn't seem the sort who might resort to empty gestures. I haven't lived in Dorset since '79, and was nearer Blandford than the coast, so I'm not commenting on the issue; I'm just saying that Ian Gillan is a decent person.

Oh, and his spelling and grammar are much better than some others'! Message over.