I drove along the harbour quite recently on a lovely day before the bollards and railings were put up.

There must have been 50 people in various spots along the harbour wall, many sitting having fish and chips because it was near lunchtime and some just sitting enjoying the view.

Last week we were confronted with so many bollards and those dreadful railings.

Surely it is fairly obviously a harbour full of water with a bit of a drop at low tide, but anyone who can’t see this and goes too near the edge shouldn’t be allowed out on their own.

Everybody has to use some common sense in their day to day activities to keep themselves from avoidable accidents. I know of no other harbour fenced in this way.

The problem is that the harbour should have remained in the control of Weymouth council.

At least those councillors live here and understand beaches and harbours. Dorset Council is made up of far too many people who live in inland towns (Ferndown, Shaftesbury, Sherborne etc.) and don’t appreciate that it is a working harbour that tourists and locals love just the way it is.

The bollards should have been just for the summer months to allow outdoor eating and drinking from April/May to the end of September/October and then the harbour should revert to the way it was with some car parking.

Dorset Council have missed a trick in not going to Lyme Regis.

Surely the Cobb with its sloping top and a drop into the sea on one side and down onto a concrete walkway on the other side is just the spot for a a bit more fencing money wasting...

H MCLAUGHLIN

Weymouth