OnTheWight always welcomes a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below.
This letter below is from Mrs J Jordan, Ryde. Ed
What are Ryde Town Council’s actions in support of local residents when the pretty gardens and most used public toilets at the Western Gardens are under threat?
Why has RTC failed to even respond to the IOW Council’s consultation on behalf of Ryde residents to save our well-used facilities to make space for more roads and cars?
Not only have they remained silent, they have failed to prepare any public meeting on the proposals to help inform and support us in responding effectively, before the consultation closed.
Want RTC openly to support retaining the existing facilities
The continuous hike upwards in precept money helps keep these toilets maintained to a good standard, and I want RTC openly to support retaining the existing facilities, because currently no plan by the train company exists to provide any toilets in the closed rail station, yet this decision is being made by Isle of Wight Council on 9th September at County Hall at 5pm.
Please join us to emphasise that the removal of our public toilets is a backward step that disproportionately affects people with ill health or disability, the elderly, women, outdoor workers and the homeless.
Claims refuted
Cllr Phil Jordan, the Cabinet Member for Highways PFI, Transport and Infrastructure, advised News OnTheWight this morning,
“It is not the case that plans do not exist for toilets within the station building, that is simply untrue. The absence of design drawings for the station building do not mean absence of a plan for the upgraded toilets.
“My understanding is there has been some delay to design resulting from the need to ensure people can enter and exit the pier via the station and not as currently configured, alongside the traffic.”
Cllr Jordan issued a release in July busting several of the myths that are circulating in relation to the plans.
He stated that, “we are not losing access to public toilets and cafe facilities”, and that “the vast majority of the area of Western Gardens will remain exactly as it is, with some additional seating, a new pedestrian crossing at the bottom of Union Street and wider pedestrian footways”.
