Same old song -

same

old blame game

The BBI appears to have woken from its winter hibernation with a blog – the first this year – and one that actually mentions the ‘B’ word.
The entry on the Bostoninnies blogsite is signed by party leader Richard Austin …  and the ‘B’ word is, of course, the bypass word.
Councillor Austin starts his message in confident form.
“There is no doubt when the present road widening scheme is completed it will help to reduce traffic congestion in Boston. That is why the BBI group backed it, having negotiated many modifications to the original plan. However the people of the Borough know that an outer relief road for the town is still required long term, to relieve the traffic congestion.”
We note that the party is now no longer claiming credit for the instigation of this scheme – merely claiming to have modified it.
Next we move into the business of blame. The usual suspects take the fall in the form of Conservatives at every level – not just in recent years … but for decades.
And apparently they’re still at it.
“… they have done it again! None of them has made any significant positive contribution to getting this outer relief road. They are still asleep on the job! They simply bleat ‘What no Bypass!’”
Cue music: William Tell overture.
“By contrast the BBI group have achieved what they promised in 2007. BBI promised the electorate to bring to the attention of the County, the Region and Westminster the huge public demand for better roads. The dramatic election result alone achieved this goal when BBI won 78% of the Borough Council seats. It was followed up with a lobby to Westminster and a debate in Parliament.”
All of this has led to the famous “distributor” road concept as a replacement for a bypass.
Now it appears that the bulk of the funding for this will come from developers, who presumably will chip in with a contribution as a condition of getting planning permission to build.
Hmmmm.
That’s all very fine in another economic climate, but somehow we doubt that builders will be rushing to build in Boston in the foreseeable future.
Councillor Austin concludes that Boston has suffered in recent years because of policies regarding flood risk.
But thanks to (you’ve guessed it) Boston 200 everyone is now convinced that Boston is at much less risk from flooding than the rest of the east coast.
Stand by for a land rush!
But the chance to point the finger of scorn remains too good to miss.
“Sadly Conservative Councillors boycotted the event!”
A plague on those evil Tories!
We’re disappointed in Councillor Austin’s blog for the obvious reasons.
It is simply a rehearsal of the old hollow promises and pointing the same arthritic finger of blame.
Read it closely, and you will realise that it promises nothing for the future.
As we said earlier, this is the BBI’s first blog of the year, and last year there were a mere 42 – not exactly what you’d call mass communication.
Forty-two?
Perhaps the BBI’s blogmaster is a fan of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – where 42 was the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything – except, apparently, our promised bypass!
The same blog is published in the BBI supporting Boston Standard with one slight alteration.
Whereas Councillor Austin says there is “no doubt” that the road widening scheme will help to reduce traffic congestion in Boston…” the Standard version omits the words “there is no doubt ….” Do they know something we don’t …?

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