Clr. Hughes was this week quoted on radio as saying that, at the recent cabinet meeting where the decision on this (and subsequent) year's pedestrianisation scheme was made, "the views of both local (county council) members were made clear from the very beginning: they are in favour of the scheme."
"As it happens", said Alistair Mackay (vice-chairman of TWTRA), "we have accurate notes of the cabinet meeting. It is true: Clr. Hughes said, "Both local members are able to recommend this," and Clr. Hall said, "Both local members thought it was great."
"What is inconvenient here, added Mr. Mackay, "is that Clrs. Hughes and Hall forgot that on the Friday before the Monday meeting both local members met with one of the director of transportation's senior officers (at his request), and outlined their considerable objections to the way the scheme was being implemented. They also assumed that a second year of experimentation would involve 'refinements' rather than 'wholesale changes' (to the number of hours and months).
"We understand," said Mr. Mackay, "that notes of this meeting were given to the director before the cabinet meeting, but not read until after the decision had been taken. This is extremely inconvenient for us, but no doubt convenient for the county council.
"Since we've seen correspondence that verifies this, we assume Clr. Hughes has too. So for him to produce a statement this week that the (true) views of local members were presented to cabinet is playing fast and loose with the truth."
TWTRA's chairman, Richard Walker, whose comment at a recent meeting that "Mr. Roberts and Clr. Hall misled the cabinet meeting" had provoked Clr. Hughes's response, commented: "I've heard Clr. Hughes on the radio, and he seems to be proclaiming that there is a huge degree of flexibility built into the system. The sad truth is the opposite. The council have said we can only come and go for 'health and safety reasons'.
"And even if you have a problem of 'health and safety' who do you ring? Doctor, dentist, hospital, carer, midwife, gas board, plumber, electricity supplier or rat catcher?
"No, the transport department of PCC. That's the nearest and clearest I can get to how stupid this operation is.
"In Durham, they have a successful permit scheme, not a 'Helpline'. PCC say the previous permit experiment didn't work. Their own evidence shows that last year's 'Helpline' didn't work either. But if Clr. Hughes wants to open the door for dialogue, he'll find that we're leaning on it."