Readers' letters - May 9

Re: road humps. I honestly think they actually have the opposite effect for what they were originally designed for. When they were first introduced, they were nicknamed sleeping policemen, the idea being to slow down joy riders.Well, let’s give them their proper name first, they are car thieves not joy riders. So a car thief is not bothered one iota about damaging the car because it’s not his. As for slowing drivers down, causing fewer accidents, I don’t think that’s worked either.In fact I would like to bet there have been more accidents, especially where they place three small ones across a road.How many of us have come across a situation where we approach these humps and there’s a car parked up before one of these and there’s a car coming towards you and you have to actually swerve to avoid the car parked up and the one coming towards you?Add to this,some of these are situated beside a bus stop for some stupid reason, make them downright dangerous. I think someone needs to admit they do not work as a safety device and need to have a rethink. Ted Fowlervia emailFarage shouldbe ‘Sir Nigel’Do the results of the UK local council elections herald the potential demise of UKIP in post-Brexit British politics? Following their latest reported loss of 123 seats with only three gains, the electorate is entitled to ask this question.If the answer is “yes”, as a committed Brexiteer, I shall be sorry if this should happen. When UKIP was founded, their leader Nigel Farage was quoted as saying their sole objective was to have the UK remove itself from the European Union, and that, if and when this happened, he would consider his work for the party to be over. History has recorded a convincing majority victory for the leave voters. This decision taken by the people was unexpected by Parliament, the Establishment and leading business and banking bodies, when we were offered a referendum on the matter.It was largely because of the tireless promotional work done by UKIP, allied with the support of many non-UKIP voters who shared their objective of leaving the EU, that David Cameron offered a referendum, as the increasing UKIP support from Tory and Labour voters was making significant inroads into established seats. Under the UK electoral system, at a previous General Election, UKIP received over four million votes yet had only one MP. Compare this with the EU proportional representation system of voting whereby UKIP gained the majority of UK seats in their Parliament. Voters voted for them to speak for us in the EU Parliament with the aim of gaining Brexit.It is ironic that the success of UKIP in helping to obtain Brexit, and Nigel Farage’s vow that his work would then be over, could be the main reason for the Party’s poor showing in the latest elections. Many non-UKIP Brexit voters may have felt that the party will have achieved its objective in March 2019 and switched their support back to their original parties.Since taking his seat as an MEP, Nigel Farage as the UKIP leader has been a vociferous, eloquent speaker, fighting for our country’s cause. Now that Brexit has been approved by the people, he would have made a superb negotiator for our withdrawal team. Sadly, Mrs May and the establishment thought otherwise. Surely he has earned a “Sir Nigel” for his patriotic achievement for all Brexiteers, and ultimately for the benefit of the country as a whole.Cyril OlsenAddress suppliedWalk about with the RamblersPeople in the Wigan area are being invited to step out with the Ramblers for their Walk About festival this summer, from May 26 to June 3. The walking charity is encouraging people to head outdoors to explore their local area and uncover the hidden gems on their doorstep.During this year’s Walk About festival, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, there are hundreds of free group walks on offer nationwide. And if you’re bitten by the walking bug, why not join the Ramblers? To get involved in the Ramblers Walk About festival, visit www.ramblers.org.uk/walkabout2018. Vanessa GriffithsChief executive of the Ramblers