NHS Lincolnshire is proud of the new hospital building but the statement "New Hospital Finished" on the front page (Spalding Guardian, April 23) implies that there is nothing left to be done.
That is not the case, as there has been no more progress on the cycle route, which South Holland District Council requires as one of the conditions of the planning permission to be completed before the hospital opens.
John Baker's piece in the Sp
alding Guardian on April 2 refers to this.
The health bosses have known about the council's requirement for the cycle route since outline planning permission was granted on July 29, 2005, almost four years ago.
That has been sufficient time for them to design and build the hospital - why not also the cycle route?
Failure to provide a "user-friendly" cycle route to the hospital, with a proper, well-drained surface and good lighting, along the route of the old railway will inevitably add more cycle and car traffic to Pinchbeck Road and the junction of Woolram Wygate and Sherwood Drive with Pinchbeck Road, which the council has recently agreed does not have to be improved before the hospital opens.
The council has the power to take action against any development which does not comply with its requirements.
In this case it could decide to prevent the hospital from opening until the cycle route is ready.
ROGER SMITH
on behalf of PEDALS - Spalding's Cycle Action Group
