Bridge Street Trees "Not Over yet" say Lib Dems

Local “Bridge Street Trees Campaign” – Not Over Yet! Say local Lib Dems.

Following pressure from local residents and the city’s Liberal Democrats, the City Council has acknowledged that their online survey about the proposed removal of trees in Bridge Street was flawed and have agreed to re-run it.

http://www.peterborough.gov.uk/community_information/consultation_and_engagement/current_consultations/update_-_bridge_street_and_l-1/update_-_bridge_street_and_lon.aspx

Almost 200 local people signed the Lib Dem petition, opposing removal of one third of the trees in Bridge Street and Long Causeway.

If you care about the trees and the appearance of our city centre, we really need you now to go to the Council website and cast your vote. You only have about one week in which to do this before the Council bulldozers and chainsaws will move in to chop down the trees!

Cllr Nick Sandford commented:

“It’s been great to see how many people not only signed our petition but took the trouble to leave their comments. The Council questionnaire has been improved but it is still rather one sided. There was a report from a tree expert and it did say that a few of the trees could be removed over time: but it did not say that one third of them should be removed straight away.

“This will have a devastating effect on the street scene, as well as reducing the benefits which the trees provide in giving shade in summer and vital habitats for wildlife. If you want to save the trees, you need to go to the Council website now and give them your views…or better still write to your local councillor about it.”

Here are some of the comments made by local people on our on line “Save the Trees” petition:

* The trees are scenic, and provide both shade and a relief from the concrete structures.Trees are important Please do not commit an act of Vandalism

* The trees provide a haven to escape the concrete surrounds – don’t remove them, in fact you should be adding other trees into the city

* We need our trees to have a green city centre, it would look awful without them!

* Why on earth would you want to tear down beautiful trees that add character to a town centre that is so bland, for no reason what soever. Peterborough is gradually being turned into a soulless city by our council

* These trees are such a magnificent feature to our built environment, why would anyone want to remove them

* I don’t see any reason to take tese trees down, especially in light of the City Council’s Environment Capital aspirations

* 100% behind this petition – the trees along Bridge Street are beautiful and should be retained. Please don’t tell me the plan is to take them out to make space for further burger vans!

* Always thought Peterborough was a green city. Leave them trees alone you bullies

* Even though I vote conservative this is out of order, they would have been better off planting trees on Cathederal Square than those stupid fountains.

* Having lived in Peterborough since 1988 I have found the city centre trees to be an absolute delight, especially the ones down Bridge Street! They hsve become like old friends! Do not slaughter them! Help your ‘green’ credentials and give all visitors to Bridge Street a breath of fresh air, coutesy of the trees!

* Cathedral square is barren and unattractive enough being just a mass of concrete. To cull the trees on Bridge Street would just make it worse. We need more tree and plants in the centre of town not less.

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