I TURNED up at Macclesfield station this week foolishly expecting to take the much-vaunted two-hour train journey to London.
What I got was a coach to Wilmslow where I waited 35 minutes for a Virgin train that took over three hours.
"Due to the unexpectedly high number of passengers on board, we have a limited breakfast menu," the train manager told us.
I wanted to add that due to the "unexpected" poor service I had limited funds to pay for my ticket, but there were no concessions.
My day was fairly uneventful until I returned (by coach) to Macclesfield station where I bumped into a dog on a lead, attached to the hand of a very suspicious character.
As I passed by I heard him openly offering drugs to teenagers leaving the station. He sounded desperate and the kids ignored him, but it was a very depressing return to my hometown, now known nationwide as Smacklesfield.
There was absolutely nothing positive in this scenario. The dealer was doomed, the kids were clearly targets and the dog would eventually be dumped, stabbed or swapped for another supply.
It’s obvious we are not winning the war on illegal drugs. It’s blighting our towns, creating crime and destroying our kids. Surely it’s time for a new strategy?
The views on this page are Vic Barlow's and not necessarily those of the Express
Reader Comments (13)
"Massive drugs bust", but there's no crime problem in Macc is there?
I thought these oxymorons were reserved for the police?”
Martin Webb”
Its all well and good locking these folk up but if the courts cant give them a decent sentence then its to no avail.
Alas, they will come out of prison, tougher and wiser and no doubt continue their careers in crime.”
You need to gert out more, or are you part of the promblem. Were at at the station? do you have a dog?”
As for Smacklesfield, its true that its known locally as that but not nationally.
I hope Vic did his bit and alerted the police to the dealer outside the station.
”
I would have thought you should have known that Vic with your knowledge of Macc.
Pete111 Vic is too old to be positive!”
Tell me this: just why is this town pretty well the 'best' place to live in the country - and yet people like you and Vic spend your entire time knocking it?
You must have a twisted history to be so negative about everything.
As always, Vic takes one isolated example - some junkie at the train station - and generalises. He ignores the overall stats; he ignores all of those dealers lifted from our streets; and he comes to the conclusions he wants to come to.
Facts just don't matter.”