Snippets

Recycling a project?

The wastepaper recycling scheme called Not Redundant Recycled has been commended to our members by this Newsletter. It's sad that NRR has had to close because of a fall in funding and decrease in participation. Over 2,500 tons of wastepaper have been recycled over the last decade - most of which otherwise would have gone to landfill sites. NRR has been a great asset especially to people who don't find it easy to take heavy paper to out-of-town paper banks. The good news is that IBC is hoping to run a pilot scheme to 5,600 homes for the collection of "dry recyclables". We wish the project well. And hope that householders will co-operate.

Our third P&R

The site is at the junction of the A12 and A1214 at Martlesham. Work is due to start this month and Park & Ride should be operating by Christmas. P&R is helpful to visitors who realise that town centres can have complicated traffic routes and limited parking. It is also to be hoped that commuters who work all day in the town will regularly use P&R, leaving town centre car parks more readily available for short- and medium-stay motorists, especially shoppers.

Beware the summer of 2004!

It's still a long time off but knowing that Ipswich station railway tunnel will be closed for about nine weeks next summer must fill commuters with dread. Buses from Ipswich to and from Marks Tey will be the order of the day. Holidaymakers might have to avoid that time when booking up for next year. The object of the exercise is to lower the track bed so that taller containers from Felixstowe can go through. If you've wondered why we don't have double-decker commuter trains in this country, think now of all that track lowering or bridge raising that would have to be done on our aged rail network!

Market manners

The market has continued to be a centre of activity on the Comhill. Space is very limited so it's still small. But most of the market traders are more cheerful than when it was quietly dying on the Civic Centre car park. Regular customers can enjoy buying some decent produce and have a chat with the more friendly traders - which you can't do with supermarket check-out staff.

A tale of two churches

The C of E has re-taken control of the medieval church of St Nicholas to create a new resource and conference centre due to open by Easter 2004. It will be linked to Churchgates House (an Ipswich Society Award of Distinction in 1991) which is now the Diocesan Office. Meanwhile the Victorian church of St Michael (see drawing of it elsewhere in this Newsletter) in Upper Orwell Street remains empty and has been added to the list of Buildings at Risk in Suffolk.

Great painters in a new light

"Ladies from the Family of Mr William Mason of Colchester" has joined the Mansion's Constables, described as the biggest collection of his work outside London. This family group provides an extra dimension to most people's idea of Constable. It is said that the lighting of the pictures is to be upgraded - essential and long awaited. Ipswich's Constables and Gainsboroughs ought to be a magnet for tourists, perhaps stimulated by our Gainsboroughs on show at the magnificent Tate Britain exhibition. If you missed it, you'll have to catch it in Washington or Boston! Constable's two garden pictures will be going to London for exhibitions at Tate Britain and the Hayward Gallery. Good that they'll be seen there, but tough on tourists to Ipswich this year.

Wherstead Road

The intention to upgrade Wherstead Road with some tree planting, some paving and residents' parking spaces is to be welcomed. This is after all one of our arterial routes which at present is not exactly impressive to newcomers. But residents are understandably concerned that the volume of traffic is unlikely to be reduced.