News

Seven year old Georgina Hunt, of Old Town First School, together with Cllr Annette Brooke, Mayor of Poole, are posting Borough of Poole's Christmas wish to the Government - a new bridge for the new millennium.

The wish will be in the form of a Christmas card designed by the Poole schoolgirl and the recipient will be none other than Gavin Strang, Minister for Transport.

Georgina was the winner of the Mayor of Poole's competition to design the official Christmas card for the Council. Her design, showing Father Christmas flying over the old Poole Lifting Bridge, was chosen as it highlighted Poole's campaign for a replacement bridge.

Cllr Annette Brooke said " A new bridge for Poole is at the top of the Council's agenda for the new year, let's hope the Minister responds to our Christmas wish"

The campaign for the new Poole Harbour Bridge has now reached a crucial stage. The Council's submission supporting the new bridge was sent in mid November together with supporting bids from the Poole Harbour Commissioners and the DCCI. The Government are now looking at all the arguments, for and against, and are expected to make a decision in late spring of 1998.

John McBride, Policy Director responsible for the Poole Harbour Bridge Campaign said :

" Local public opinion will be an influencing factor in the Government's deliberations about the bridge. Georgina's Christmas card design shows what an impact the outdated Lifting Bridge has on the lives of the people of Poole, through the eyes of a child."