SUNDERLAND has a lot to offer if only people looked in the right direction.

The bridge competition was fun and aspired the people to take part and have their say. If a new bridge is going to make extra money that the people pay for rates etc., surely the location of the new bridge should be considered.

Having a multipurpose bridge near the harbour or in the close vicinity, being Metro and road it would open a gateway of a great deal of beneficial ease of travelling.

I can imagine people will use the coastal Metro system, just for a day out, with undisturbed views of the sea in the comfort of a Metro car.

There is scope for further development to take the Metro to South Shields and Seaham. The track could be relaid from the tunnel to go through Mowbray Park, where it originally ran. This track could be connected to the present track which already goes to Seaham and another track added to cross the bridge.

Laying a double track through the disused dockland would encourage Hendon beach to be updated. Incorporate the use of the giant machinery available and carve a gradual slope down to the beach, thus getting rid of dangerous cliffs.

Get rid of the unsightly rocks that cause a lot of accidents and dump them further out to form a break water like a coral reef. Paint the gas holders green to blend in.

A dream? Perhaps. Look what the Sultan of Dubai is doing. OK, so he had lots more money, but he's striking while the iron is hot.
David J Britton,
Riversdale Terrace,
Sunderland

Not overgrown harp
I DO think we should have a landmark design for the new Wear bridge and the extra £29million would soon be recuperated from extra tourist revenue.
I really do think as a better idea, the future of Sunderland should have a large input from the folks of our city.
We would have ideas and designs sent in from the public and the best submission considered for the bridge construction engineers to create a bridge which is not a bridge too far but a bridge down to earth.
I consider Stephen Spence's design to be an dramatic eye-catcher, but surely it's an overgrown harp? The hundreds of wires will probably make unpleasant loud whistling noises and what are the chances of some of them snapping in extremes of weather?
If you were to welcome the idea of looking at the public Design a Bridge ideas, I will be the first to submit my own to you, free of charge. I'm convinced I'm just one of many who could help place Sunderland higher on the tourist maps.
I totally agree we have to chose an iconic design, but please, please, not an overgrown harp!
James Bracebridge Chambers,
Rickleton Village,
Washington

Get Niall involved
IT always seems to me that to aspire to be a special place a city has to have a vision and ambition not based on that crudest of common denominators, short-term cost.
I would venture that our council leaders will not debate too long over which of these bridge designs to choose. They will inevitably choose the bog standard one for all the wrong reasons, instead of making a bold statement of intent as to the cities future and regeneration and choosing the Stephen Spence design.
A great city needs iconic architecture and grand ideas and it is not beyond the wit of those in power to encourage this.
I am always amazed at the differences in achievement between the ruling Labour council in Gateshead and that here. Maybe the Leader of the Council, Paul Watson, should get a few tips from his counterpart over there about how to go about things. Then again let's not hold our breath. This is Sunderland.
Maybe we should get Niall Quinn involved. He seems to have more success in putting Sunderland back on the map than any of our civic leaders.
Ed Bartley,
Newlands Avenue,
Sunderland

It won't wash
THE attempt of the politically-motivated such as John Seymour (Echo, Sept 1) to pin the Policy Exchange's ideas upon the Conservative Party just won't wash.
There is a long tradition of support for policy to promote the North East's regional development within the Conservative Party – witness the "Hailsham" plan of the 1960s which helped improve the region's road network; support for "enterprise zones" to facilitate the development of areas such as Doxford International and Hylton riverside and bringing Nissan to the city.
Money spent redeveloping Sunderland is money well spent as far as the city's Conservatives are concerned. The trouble is the delay achieving it, witness the Vaux site.
Conservatives are as keen as anyone to see the city's redevelopment continue apace - the sooner, e.g., Roker Retail Park and the strategic transport corridor (including the new bridge) are developed the better.
Hopefully future contributions to this debate will seek to emulate rather Tony Morrissey's thoughtful approach (Aug 29) than the attempted political point-scoring of John Seymour.
Coun Peter Wood,
Chairman, Sunderland Conservatives