Thursday 2 February 2012

No, I Just Cannot Figure Out Why Students Think The World Owes Them A Living…

…I mean, it’s not as if they are soaking that attitude up in their universities, is it?
De Montfort University wants to turn Mill Lane into a landscaped public space with cycle paths, trees and benches.
Yesterday, the university showcased the plans – which will take more than four years to put in place – and asked residents to tell them what they thought.
Sadly for the university, that’s just what they did:
But most people at the event held in the university's Hugh Aston building were against the idea.
Unsurprisingly, they weren’t too keen at the high-handed attitude and the local council’s fawning obsequiousness towards their demands…
Ramesh Patel, 47, a building engineer who has lived in the area all his life, said: "Mill Lane has been here, as a road, for a very long time – far longer than the university has been here.
"I think if we turn the road into a pedestrianised area it will give off the idea that it belongs to the university – to the students – and they can use it as they please.
"This is our neighbourhood too. The designs all look very well on paper, but practically it is a terrible idea. It will create rat-runs through the surrounding streets and residents just don't want it."
He wasn’t alone:
Pensioner Leonard Cook, 74 agreed. "I think it is ridiculous that the council isn't standing up to this terrible idea," he said. "Can't they see the pressure this will put on the other roads in the area?"
Perhaps they just don’t care? Given they probably don’t live there…
A 75-year-old resident of nearby Grasmere Street, who did not want to be named, said: "The students on my road are fine – it is the idiots who run past at 3am banging on my door and shouting that are the problem.
"The students have already destroyed the neighbourly spirit and community.
"If they pedestrianise it will get worse. They will think they own the place."
It sounds very much as if they already do!

It’s not a done deal, though:
Next week Leicester City Council will hold a 21-day public consultation over the plans, before the university applies for planning permission in March. If approved, work would start at the beginning of April, and would not completed until December 2016.
So the university has a hell of a spin job on its hands. They seem up to the challenge, however:
Umesh Desai, deputy director of estates at the university, said the changes would make the area better for residents, staff and students. He said: "When we speak to the community they say they want more open spaces and green areas, and this will help create that. Apart from being safer, it will look better, be more pleasant and better lit, with benches and trees and green areas."
And so what if it means your streets will see more traffic?
Some people who visited the exhibition supported the proposed changes.
Sara Scarry, 21, a design management student, said: "I nearly get knocked down pretty much every time I use the road, so I think it would be far safer."
Really, love? I cross roads every day, and I don’t get ‘nearly knocked down’ – maybe you could consider using the crossings?

12 comments:

Lynne said...

The place will become a magnet for scum just like every other urban open space is.

Captain Haddock said...

"Sara Scarry, 21, a design management student, said: "I nearly get knocked down pretty much every time I use the road, so I think it would be far safer" ..

I think you'd be much safer Sara, if you pulled your head out from up your own arse .. opened your Bo-Peeps & put the ipod back in your satchel ..

Now .. run along, there's a good girl .. haven't you got lessons to go to ?

Anonymous said...

De Montfort University...can't say I have heard of it...oh, you mean Leicester College of Art and Technology, as it was recently known?

The benchmark for student and lecturer can be seen in its statistical subordination to Huddersfield. However, the higher degrees in Underwater Basket Weaving and Earth Welcomes Aliens, has just swamped the place with applications.

Anonymous said...

*have* just swamped the place with applications.

English Viking said...

Sorry to be picky Julia, but you appear to have spelt the council wallah's name incorrectly.

Rather than writing his name, you have simply jumbled a mish-mash of letters together and come up with some unintelligible gibberish.

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Anonymous said...

Maybe if Sara had taken a bit more notice of her dad's books, she'd be a bit more road safety conscious....http://www.amazon.co.uk/RICHARD-SCARRYS-Richard-Hardcover-15-Aug-2000/dp/B005HN7QLQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1328208185&sr=8-4

A salt and battered said...

@ EV

I'm scoring heavily under the new scrabble rules which allow proper nouns.

Although I was forced to use one blank, I am much indebted to our 'unwanted clothes for genuine charity' collector, Zak Yajquiz.

JuliaM said...

"The place will become a magnet for scum just like every other urban open space is."

Having a giant campus in the middle of Southend town centre hasn't improved anything, that's for sure...

"De Montfort University...can't say I have heard of it...oh, you mean Leicester College of Art and Technology, as it was recently known? "

:D

"Sorry to be picky Julia, but you appear to have spelt the council wallah's name incorrectly. "

Heh! I'm calling it the Scrabbleocracy... ;)

"Maybe if Sara had taken a bit more notice of her dad's books, she'd be a bit more road safety conscious..."

LOL!

Anonymous said...

Dontcha just love it? Ramesh,and Umesh getting their tuppence worth in. And then, brainless Sara nearly gets run over every time she goes on the road. Crikey, who lives here? Is poor old Leonard the last Anglo Saxon survivor?

Well yes. Probably. And Julia,if you were crossing the road, I would just love to run you over.

JuliaM said...

"And Julia,if you were crossing the road, I would just love to run you over."

You'd have to have a fast car! I'm surprisingly nippy for my age...