Playground shock

I am shocked and outraged after reading your story on the possible closure of the Betjeman Road play area (Crow, October 8). It is a well used facility by my children and many others from the local area. If this was taken away are we really expecting you

I am shocked and outraged after reading your story on the possible closure of the Betjeman Road play area (Crow, October 8). It is a well used facility by my children and many others from the local area.

If this was taken away are we really expecting young children to walk across busy roads to access other play areas?

I also consider the claim that there have been anti-social problems associated with the area to be incorrect. I live opposite the playground and have not witnessed any incidents.

Sure older kids hang around there and can occasionally be noisy, but they're just being kids - plus where else are we expecting them to go? Royston is not exactly over-flowing with activities for teenagers to do in the evening.

What has the world come to when public spending cuts have to resort to closing fairly new playgrounds? The recommendations made in the council report are incredibly short-sighted, and based on meaningless phrases like "Strategic Play Value".

Would it not be appropriate for the council to ask those who are affected first before publishing half-baked reports that do not take account of the qualitative aspects of people's lives?

Tim Higginbotham

Blake Close

Royston