PLEASE keep your letters to 250 words maximum giving your name, address and daytime telephone number - even on emails. Email: letters@swindonadvertiser.co.uk. Write: Swindon Advertiser, Unit 1 and 2 Richmond House, Edison Park, Swindon, SN3 3RB. Phone: 01793 501806.

Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters.

Has realisation come too late for the planet?

I HATE rubbish day! I have read the article. I do everything that they ask concerning rubbish collection. I find it hard to keep up with this; in that bin; in this bin; plastic in a bag. Cardboard cut to the size of the bin. We were told that you could bag black plastic and now you can’t. I do understand about recycling and I am willing to do my bit.

As for taking electrical items and batteries to the recycling centre, I cannot ask my friends to take an AA battery to the centre!

What I do find irritating is people that do not take their bins in, leaving them on the street for days. I consider myself a good citizen and do as I am told.

When I got married in 1966 this had been brought to our attention and nothing was done. It seems that we have left it too late.

A plastic bag was found on the sea bottom seven miles down in the Marianas Trench. Think about it!

Janet Woodham, Scotby Avenue

Sorry is the hardest word in English or Konkani

Rather than make a feeble attempt to defend the indefensible, Coun Oliver Donachie should have simply acknowledged it was wrong to send out the waste letter written only in English and Konkani (SA 23 May).

He fools nobody with is lame claim that the letter was sent in its current form to avoid a delay in getting out the message around flytipping. In fact he has made the council look even more stupid than many of us could have thought possible.

As for the Goan community, thank you for acknowledging that a letter written only in English would have been perfectly acceptable, but really, you want an apology for hurt feelings!

Man up (as some might say) and accept this was an error - it has been recognised as such by everyone other than Coun Donachie who has displayed an arrogance unworthy of his position - and move on.

Finally, while Coun Donachie might consider the Broadgreen Goan Community to have lost the point, I fear it is the councillor who has done precisely that.

Sorry is the hardest word and for a Conservative councillor it’s almost an impossible word to utter as they consider themselves so superior.

Des Morgan, Caraway Drive

Right wing politics not for ordinary people

Steve Halden writes I think politics is about a division between left and right wing. (May 23)

That doesn’t cover it. We are witnessing growing poverty and inequality.

Public services are crumbling while simultaneously being parcelled up for privatisation so that profit can become their key function rather than serving need.

These developments have worsened because of austerity policies imposed by successive governments.

They follow from policies which prioritise the needs of a rich minority over the needs of the mass of the population.

This class division was true 50 years ago and contrary to Steve’s argument, is true today. The left right split Steve refers to reflects that. The left always organised to shift the balance in favour of working people and the right wing always opposed that, lining up with the interests of the rich. The latter is what UKIP, Farage, Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg are about today.

Steve says, “we want Britain to make its own laws and to have decent housing …” Steve’s right wing never campaigned for decent housing. This has always been work done by the left both nationally and here in Swindon.

The rich have usually been able to use their economic power to ensure laws passed never conflict too much with their interests.

The right wing’s politics do not speak for ordinary people however they voted in the referendum.

Peter Smith, Woodside Avenue

Roadworks - but no one is actually working

On a recent bus trip to Devizes, no fewer than five separate roadworks were encountered with temporary traffic lights, in Croft Road, Wroughton, Avebury, Bishops Cannings and Devizes.

This on a journey of about 20 miles each way. Just one person was in attendance at only one of these sites. The others no-one. surely there must be some sort of ruling about this?

On a recent coach trip to France – again some roadworks – but gangs of workmen actually working !

Rodney J M Wirdnam, Whilestone Way

Cycling signs from Spain for UK motorists

Whilst cycling in Spain last week I saw a sign showing how motorists should allow at least 1.5 m distance when overtaking a cyclist. Being a keen cyclist I wonder how long we will have to wait for such signs to appear in the U.K.

Cycling UK have a campaign on this subject and have supplied constabularies with a mat showing the Highway Code guidelines. Although most motorists are very courteous there are the odd few that don’t care.

Being a motorist myself I am aware how vulnerable cyclists are.

Ken Brewer, By email