Letter of the week: Hartlepool looks 'half-finished' and needs to get back to basics

The subway was filled in because of reported vandalism, graffiti, anti-social behaviour and a number of people being robbed down there.

As for Church Street, the first thing I thought when I saw the refurbishments was that it looked better before.

Revamping the heritage buildings yes, and adding plants, trees and seating by the Art Gallery, but the rest was a waste of money.

Those millions would have been better spent uplifting the town in general.

For example, at the south end of Studley Road the lamp-posts have been painted black.

At the north end they are still plain metal, and it’s been like that for years.

Is this the only street that’s been left half-finished? And why?

I presume the residents at the north end pay their council tax, too.

Also, at the junction of Studley Road and Sydenham Road there used to be a few flower tubs and trees.

They were removed years ago, some have been filled in, with a concrete circle in the middle, other parts are just holes.

It could look nice but instead it’s been left a mess.

Hopefully Hartlepool Borough Council will take the hint and attend to both of these issues.

I can’t understand why things have been left in this state.

And I’m sure readers could supply plenty of other examples across the town of little jobs that wouldn’t cost much to do but haven’t been.

Instead we got expensive “vanity” projects, the latest causing traffic chaos on the A689 at busy times.

And there’s no quibble about affording those; no shortage of money there.

In my opinion Hartlepool needs tidy and safe streets, more bobbies on the beat and our A&E back. These are basics.

Name and address supplied.