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Cash to fight congestion goes south
LEEDS still harbours a grudge against Whitehall for pulling the plug on the ill-fated Supertram scheme.
Now it seems renewed efforts to get the city moving are again destined to be scuppered by blinkered ministers.
There's mounting speculation the Government's preparing to make cuts to its 2 billion local transport budget.
And the flagship trolley bus scheme designed to ease congestion in Leeds could be one of those to get the chop.
What really sticks in the throat is that transport cash is still being ploughed into London and the South East.
Leeds needs another 150m for the trolley bus network which is small beer against the Olympic Delivery Authority's transport budget of 897m.
Yet Metro transport boss Ryk Downes now has a massive job on his hands securing that cash.
Of course, it's not the first time the Olympics have squeezed funding in other parts of the country and we're sure it won't be the last.
But there's a nagging suspicion that it's becoming a convenient excuse to wriggle out of spending cash in the North.
When London won the right to host the 2012 games we were assured that even those of us living outside the South East would benefit.
At this rate that's fast looking like a hollow promise.
Vital wardens
OFTEN it's hard to avoid the feeling that money is thrown at schemes to give the impression that something, however ineffectual, is being done to tackle a problem.
That's not the case however with neighbourhood wardens, who offer help to families on some of Leeds's most troubled estates.
Since they were introduced eight years ago the peacekeepers have played a vital role in improving the image of some of the city's hot spots.
Yet, now that funding for the wardens has run out, city council chiefs say they cannot afford to keep them going in their present form.
And while they assure us that the role will continue, critics say it's about saving 200,000 and inner city communities will be hit hard.
Teenagers on the estates credit the wardens with helping to transform their communities and making them better places to live.
Some even claim their behaviour has improved as a direct result of the wardens' presence and influence.
Now surely that has to be worth 200,000 of anyone's money.
Defeated champion
IT'S sad to hear community champion Stephen Mills citing public apathy and red tape for his decision to quit.
He's stepping down as ambassador for the Gipton Approach area after recent projects fell flat.
No doubt Stephen will be missed but if he hasn't got the backing he needs who can blame him for feeling he's fighting a losing battle.
It's all very well having community campaigners but they can't do it on their own.
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Weather for Leeds
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
