Well, it is that time of year and yes, we are busy canvassing in Tilehurst and a number of local issues have cropped up on the doorstep.

The first issue is speeding. This is a real issue with many residents in Tilehurst and they feel powerless to stop cars bombing down their residential roads at speeds well over 30mph. They do not see the council taking action.

Well actually I have, along with my Tilehurst councillor colleagues, done quite a lot. The local Neighbourhood Police Team now have mobile speed guns with which speed limits can be enforced. Drivers in Tilehurst should be aware that the mobile guns are in use and that the Police Neighbourhood Action Group has speeding as its top priority in Tilehurst (refer back to my previous posts on the subject).

Secondly, there are countless grass verges in Tilehurst (and many more across Reading) that are being chewed up by thoughtless motorists who insist on parking off the road. The result is a host of unsightly, rutted mud patches where green grass used to grow. The council cannot afford to put bollards in to protect every grass verge in Reading but I have suggested that at least they can write letters to offenders who do park their cars on verges explaining that the place for cars is on the road, that footpaths are for pedestrians and that where we have grass verges it is because we want a greener Reading not just mud, concrete and tarmac. Actually I am quite sure that many motorists park on grass verges as they believe their cars to be ‘safer’ on or partly on the greass verge or footpath. I think it just needs someone to point out that this not necessarily the case nor always legal and it creates a mess.