Please do not feed the pigeons

The news that teaching and student facilities will be built on the Embankment as part of the new University of Peterborough is another welcome boost for the city.

The £9.5 million project has been agreed by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and is set to be ready for the first cohort of students in 2022.

This area of the city centre is being transformed right before our very eyes with Fletton Quays progressing at pace and it’s a tremendously exciting time. The Combined Authority has agreed a study looking into the viability of a rapid transport system in Peterborough gets under way shortly. All we will be doing is taking into account a number of factors and considering whether this system could potentially work here. It’s far too early for anyone to say what the outcome will be, but I think it’s only right we consider what sort of transport systems the city may need in years to come.

Peterborough is the fourth fastest growing city in the country and we need to think about the future consequences of this. If you’ve visited cities which have trams, such as Nottingham, Manchester and Sheffield, then I’m sure you will agree that these systems, if implemented properly, can really enhance a city and help its residents. We can’t promise that this will happen here but we have to think ahead and see what options are available.

The Travelchoice kiosk in the bus station closed last week and I wanted to reiterate this was a difficult decision for us. This was taken as part of our Medium Term Financial Strategy and approved by full council last month, following a full public consultation. We recognised the kiosk was valued by some bus passengers and we’ve been open and honest about the reasons behind its closure. The kiosk was a service which we previously subsidised but could no longer afford to do so, especially considering that it needed a major upgrade. The number of people using it had declined in recent years and Stagecoach, the bus operator, did not want to take it on.

I would also point out that the services the kiosk provided are still available from the Visitor Centre in Bridge Street and online.

Another topic that residents have spoken to me about is pigeons, or more specifically, the amount of food people are feeding them in the city centre. Anyone who has walked through Cathedral Square at lunchtimes will have seen that the

Pigeons tend to congregate around the benches and they’re not shy when it comes to asking for food!

The trouble with feeding them of course is that they become more and more tame and produce more mess. I have also seen on several occasions that the birds will fly off together in large groups and then swoop down, causing people to duck out the way and scaring children. So could I please remind people not to feed them, that way we can all continue to enjoy walking through the city centre.

Finally, another reminder about the forthcoming council and parish elections which take place on May 3. The deadline to register to vote is April 17. For anyone not yet registered it’s quick and easy to do online at www.gov.uk/registertovote. Alternatively you can call the council’s electoral services team on 01733 452249 or email [email protected] It may be that you cannot get to your polling station on the day and if that is the case, you can apply for a postal or proxy vote (you have to be registered to vote to do this). Postal and proxy vote application forms are available to download on the council’s website www.peterborough.gov.uk, by calling our electoral services team on 01733 452249 or emailing [email protected] After completing the form, you’ll need to print it, sign it, and send it back to Peterborough City Council, Electoral Registration Officer, Electoral Services, Bridge Street, Town Hall, Peterborough, PE1 1GF.