Notes & Comments

Both road and rail

Chris Mole, MP for (most of) Ipswich, is now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department of Transport with responsibility for National Networks. This must be one of the most onerous jobs, with never enough money and British geography making French/German solutions impossible. At least he knows about the shortcomings of theA12 andA14 and the limitations of our rail links. We wish him well and hope his efforts will be productive.

The Town's fame, far and wide

News that Ipswich Town had appointed Roy Keane as the new manager made headlines in this country. But a friend who was staying in Italy first picked up the startling news from al-Jazeera! Yet there are some who say that this Arabic station is only interested in violence!

An attractive trio

The newly cleaned and restored exterior of the Corn Exchange (photo on page 1) reveals a pale stonework markedly different from the general effect of the (also cleaned) Town Hall. But equally pleasing is the way the Corn Exchange fabric relates to its other two neighbours - the cream stone of Barclay's Bank and the Chelsea Building Society.

From SWISS to Suffolk

The catchy, perhaps gimmicky, name for the new sixth form college was to be the SWISS Centre because it will cater for students from South West Ipswich and South Suffolk. Instead it will be called Suffolk One, a name both dull and geographically misleading. However, the main achievement is that it is being built and will open in September next year. The Society will welcome it for its educational value but still regrets that its location will generate a great amount of traffic. The frequent comings and goings in a sixth form college can't be easily met by public transport.

There's a lot in a name

Thank goodness J D Wetherspoon's haven't gone in for The Rat and Dunghill kind of name which some poor pubs have had to put up with. Calling the former Yates' Wine Bar at Tower Ramparts The Robert Ransome (photo on page 1) does relate it to Ipswich, and specifically recalls one of our great forebears - who is also commemorated by the Society's Blue Plaque in Old Foundry Road, the site of his first iron foundry in 1789.

The shape of transport to come?

Good news that the shuttle bus (Route 38) from the two bus stations on a circular route to Russell Road, will keep its local authorities' subsidies and so continue to provide a free service and keep some cars out of the town centre. A second shuttle bus route has been proposed from UCS/ Coprolite Street to the town centre. Let's hope there's money for it.

Working for the community

The future of Broomhill Pool is still uncertain. The Broomhill Pool Trust is working with IBC and hopes to be able to submit another Lottery bid. Meanwhile, it seems a good idea that a small number of offenders on Community Service are being used to re-paint and clean up the pool. It's in nobody's interest to allow further neglect.