It's Wednesday night in Sunderland
The ranks are moving slow
All the plots are full
And there's no where else to go

The book staff they are sleeping
There's no one on the phone
A couple of more hours
And there shift will be done

It's a hard life driving taxis
Trying to stay awake
Waiting in the queue
For someone home to take

And when your turn comes around
And your number one on the rank
They stagger from the spider
And you wonder how much they've drank

You ask them where they want to go.
And they give you there address
You tell them what the fare is
And they argue it should be less

Then there are the runners
And others that are sick
Oh why do I drive taxis?
I must be blinking thick

So if you are looking for work
To earn an honest bob
Don't start driving taxis
Get a proper job.

By Jasper Blue

Area devalued
LAST year gentoo removed the soft landcaping, including all of the beautiful shrubs and bushes in the Trafalgar Road area of Sulgrave.
Trafalgar Road covers a large housing estate and having lived here for some years, I enjoyed watching this area coming into bloom each year and attracting all manner of wildlife. The mornings were spent listening to birdsong and watching all of the many species of birds flying about, making nests in the trees and swooping down collecting insects for their young from the shrubs all around.
In this area of one-bedroomed terraces, most residents on the ground floor are retired and live alone and the upper floors mainly consist of single young people.
Whereas these young people may not be too bothered about this developement, I can assure you that the older residents have taken exception to what has happened and to my knowledge no one was asked an opinion or served any notification about this matter.
How did gentoo gain approval for this work?
I think that planning law stipulates that soft landscaping must be included in plans for new housing developements. If this is the case, why has gentoo been allowed to remove and destroy an attractive and useful part of the local environment ?
We are all required to be eco- concious and preserve wildlife and all things green nowadays.
Our area now looks harsh,stark and cold and has lost the appeal it once had.
Gentoo has a lot to answer for.
For the saving they've made on maintenance, they've devalued a once most lovely area.
Resident

I'm so angry
IT is with great anger that I read about Brent Martin. Yet again, another disabled person attacked for no reason!
Enough is enough. I lived in Sunderland for years and I am really horrified to see that such violence, could, and did happen in a place I consider home... I now live in Birmingham, where there has been at least four cases of violence towards disabled people in the past year.
The point is that if a High Court judge contradicts other colleagues, by reducing sentences, does that then give thugs the message that a disabled person's life, peace of mind and contribution to their community is less valid than a non-disabled person's?
Brenda Martin's refusal to have her son's memory reduced to a few headlines is proof of her strength of character and her family's sheer guts. I for one will not let a few mindless sick individuals spoil my opinion of Sunderland. These gutless scum are not going to frighten me into submission!
Sam Brackenbury,
Old Tokengate,
Harbourne,
Birmingham

Bill served us well
WELCOME to the next episode Coun Walton (Quite Interesting, Letters, June 25).
You noted that I didn't mention Bill Etherington MP in my letter. If you had referred back to the original letters (It's payback time, May 16 and 21), which my letter was in response to, you would seen that Bill Etherington MP wasn't mentioned in them either, unlike Chris Mullin MP and Coun Bob Symonds.
Bill Etherington has served our city well over the years. He has spoken up for many people, such as pensioners and ex-miners, against the smoking ban and aspects of Post Office closures. He, too, will be sadly missed after the next election and I wish him well in his retirement.
As for drifting into a world of make-believe, I draw your attention to the Echo of May 12 and the comment: "But it wasn't until March 30, 1984, that the news Wearside had been waiting for was finally announced. Nissan was coming – very soon. The foundation stone was laid later that year but a row broke in October 1985, when the-then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, was accused of trying to wangle an invite. The Iron Lady was not for turning, however, and despite concerns and complaints, it was she who officially launched the factory in September, 1986."
Now does that sound like the actions of someone who was leading a government fight to get Nissan sited at Sunderland, or someone who was trying to hi-jack the limelight?
Bob Price,
Rydal Mount,
Sunderland

Blue badge should not be abused
WITH reference to the Echo's feature on Dozy Parkers including pictures of Parking Menaces (Echo, June 10), highlighting a Vauxhall car across the footpath/yellow line outside Lloyds Chemists, in Sea Road, Fulwell and a letter from fellow Blue Badge Holder (Echo, June 30).
The letter writer is convinced that the car is displaying a blue badge but going from the Echo photo it could be a note to the traffic warden asking not to be ticketed! Assuming it is a disabled blue badge, the letter writer criticises the Echo for choosing to use this example of a dozy parker "as the regulations are three hours parking on a single yellow (line) when displaying a disabled blue badge if not causing an obstruction".
The thing is that this regulation applies to a road and not mounting a footpath and parking on it – "unless signs permit it".
Disappointingly the new 2007 edition of the Highway Code fails to give any advice to disabled badge holders but the Department of Transport has published a new guide called The Blue Badge Scheme: Rights and Responsibilities in England, available free by on 0870 1226 236 and give reference T/1 NF 1214.
In Safe and Responsible Parking, you are told: Do not park where it would endanger or obstruct pedestrians ... Examples of dangerous or obstructive parking include ... on a pavement, unless signs permit it."
The guide warns, the blue badge is not a licence to park anywhere. If you park where it would cause an obstruction or danger to other road users your vehicle could be removed by police.
Blue badge holders have been given an exemption to many traffic regulations, an exemption that many non-badge holders are envious of and/or hostile to (A disabled person is four times more likely to be assaulted than non-disabled) so park lawfully and avoid giving others the chance to complain about us.
The "Dozy Parker" hot spot of Sunderland is the bottom of Hylton Road just after Millfield Metro where every inch of footpath and yellow line has cars parked on it! This is also the intersection for emergency vehicles !
Orange into Blue,
Sunderland

Motty's last match
JOHN Motson has been the man behind the voice of football for the BBC sport since 1968.
When I first met John at the Ottakar's Bookshop in 2004 there were plenty of Black Cats supporters meeting the great man who was signing autographs of the book entitled Motson's National Obsession, sold worldwide.
He covered the football stadiums including Accrington Stanley, Sunderland, Leyton Orient, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Leeds United, Bognor Regis Town, Wimbledon, Liverpool and Blackpool.
Famous for his sheepskin coat, he was nicknamed "Motty" by the fans of British soccer.
He notched up 1,800 matches including 34 FA Cup finals, six World Cup finals and apart from football he commentated on professional boxing and tennis.
His last televised football match was the Euro 2008 when Spain defeated Germany 1-0 in the final.
John Motson retired from the BBC sport for the last time and awarded the OBE to the services of football.
Enjoy your retirement John.
Terry Christie,
Woodside Terrace
Sunderland

It took me back
THE article on Seaham Girls Grammar School took me back 79 years when I was among the first intake of the newly-created grammar school.
Ryhope School became a boys' grammar school, girls were transferred to Seaham.
How well I remember Miss Aird who taught us a standard of social behaviour we won't see again. Mrs Hudson, then our form mistress and English teacher must be turning in her grave whenever the editor of the Sunderland Echo writes "my wife and I" instead of "my wife and me" when it is in the objective case.
We were taught history by Miss Little, Miss Howell brought geography alive and Miss Spook's teaching of French instilled a love of a foreign language.
I never really understood physics but that was no fault of Miss Weighell who also taught music.
I wish we could bring back the grammar schools and all who taught in them.
Irene Moore (nee Burnip),
Wingate





I WAS amazed to read that there are Tories on Sunderland Council and they may soon take control. After the deliberate and vindictive destruction of the industries in your area by that party it is hard to understand why anyone votes for it, let alone becomes a paid-up member. People should take a look at the councils they control here in the London area and see the cuts in essential services.
Colin Portch,
Thornhill Gardens,
Barking

STEVE and Cathy McQuilliam would like to thank family and friends, Fr Stephen Watson and the Inn Place for the wonderful night we had on our golden wedding on June 28.
Instead of presents we asked for donations to the Little Sisters of the Poor and Riding for the Disabled at Washington. The donations reached a staggering £550! Thank you all so very much. God bless always.
Steve and Cathy McQuilliam,
Tadcaster Road,
Sunderland