Lunatics take over asylum - official

Last week's full council meeting that voted to make the Into Town bus service invasion of Strait Bargate a permanent first ignored two attempts to bring some sort of reason to the debate.
First was an amendment moved by Councillor David Owens and seconded by Councillor Paddy Rush to defer a decision on the making the Experimental Traffic Order into a Permanent Order until a specific survey had been carried out on the issue of the buses travelling through the Strait Bargate precinct.
Given the BBI majority it was not surprising that the move was defeated, as was a further amendment proposed by Councillor Raymond Singleton-McGuire, and seconded by Councillor Anne Dorrian that the buses only be allowed to travel through the precinct during the early morning and evening, and not allowed to use the route during busy periods, particularly on popular shopping days, reverting to the circular route as used during the period of the Boston May Fair.
When that amendment was lost a vote was taken on the substantive motion and it was resolved that Lincolnshire County Council be recommended to make the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order permanent, and also that Brylaine be approached with a request to consider extending the current routes, as identified in the survey - and which are, presumably the ones that are currently being advertised in leaflets that appeared prior to last week's vote!
A total of 17 councillors voted in favour - 15 being the BBI block vote but with the interesting addition of Tory Councillor Mike Gilbert and Independent (but previously BBI) Councillor John Storry.
Councillor Brian Rush, a member of the Better Boston Group which organised the alternative survey of opinion on traffic using the pedestrian precinct, told Boston Eye: "We have to consider that if the majority of the public within the borough are against the buses in Strait Bargate, as indicated by test, then these councillors are either seriously out of touch with the electorate, or are just following the leadership, it matters not which.
"But I can't help wondering how decent elected members live with that kind of thought process and face the public.
"The big question really is, why the leadership have decided to commit political suicide by disregarding the views of the majority?
"Why they did not resist the highways proposal and insist, at least, on what could have been a vote catching alternative trial?
"We can do no more to stop this invasion, I believe it is down to the electorate to notify the BBI that they have got it wrong through the ballot box.
"Here's a thought. Have Councillors Austin and Jordan considered this - every silver lining has a dark cloud within it - and theirs could be the forthcoming and very obvious dilapidation of the pedestrian construction of Strait Bargate.
"Now when this happens, and it seems very likely that it may soon, who will be picking up the bill?
"Will it be Lincolnshire County Council, the bus operator, or is it more likely that the burden will fall upon that majority of non bus-using and pedestrian Boston taxpayers?
"Who actually is responsible for this 'new highway' tract?"

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