I UTTERLY oppose any attempts by certain Weymouth-based councillors to pedestrianise Weymouth Harbour.

As a member of Dorset Council's harbour committee and as someone who is in regular contact with Weymouth's commercial harbour users I know from them that this would lead to the death of Weymouth as a commercial harbour.

For some reason certain councillors feel that they can re-design our harbour its inner workings and berthings without any knowledge of working in a harbour or even consulting those who do. The proposals being talked about include the suggestion of timed commercial access for fuelling and unloading, etc this fails to take into account that God did not give council officers control over the tides. There seems to be a belief that if pedestrianisation went ahead it would create a Riviera-type atmosphere of a harbourside covered in tables and chairs. This would not be the case, merely it would crucify the harbour in the name of more walking and cycling space as the roads would need to remain clear for emergency services. Gone would be the scenes of fisherman unloading their catch, gone would be a thousand years of history. The proposal already has strong opposition from residents, harbour users, and many businesses concerned about deliveries and access – they are not opposed because they are against change but they wish to keep Weymouth as a commercial harbour.

As far as I'm concerned these plans need to be buried a Sadducee's grave (a grave without resurrection) for the sake of our town's harbour community and the local economy which benefits so much from a commercial harbour. There needs to be change in the harbour but with the consent of those affected. Weymouth's harbour has a bright future ahead of it if we work together openly.

Cllr Louie O'Leary

Brisbane Road

Littlemoor

Weymouth