YOUR correspondent writes about the signal failure at Cooper Dean roundabout and asks for an explanation from Bournemouth Council.

The signals failed at 6.30 in the morning of 7th August and an automated signal was sent to Siemens (the company who are contracted to look after our traffic lights) on a Top Priority 1 Urgency.

Siemens attended at 8.45, and found there was no power to the site – they immediately informed Scottish & Southern Energy, requesting urgent attention on safety grounds. Scottish & Southern Energy found there was a fault in a buried joint, needing deep excavation.

After several days digging on site, they found the supply cables and replaced several joints, turning the lights back on Tuesday 13th August – but they immediately failed!

They dug up the area again, working throughout the day, and the lights were switched on successfully by 10am on Wednesday 14th.

Comparing the complexity and inconvenience of the week it took to repair this fault to cost of the “Welcome to Bournemouth” sign is like comparing apples with bananas.

The delay was nothing to do with cost, but wholly to do with the time it took Scottish & Southern Energy to locate and fix a deep electrical fault. Bournemouth Council takes road safety very seriously and money is always available to repair faults throughout the town.

It’s interesting that in a week where the press focused on the demise of so many formerly great English seaside resorts, reporting how they had become desolate, with few visitors and empty hotels, Bournemouth is being criticised for welcoming visitors to our town. Anyone visiting the town centre, the beaches and the many local attractions over the past weeks will have been struck by how thriving, alive and busy the town is. At this time of continuing recession, there is plentiful free entertainment at the Waterfront performance space at Pier Approach, wonderful free children's activities in the gardens. Our hotels are often full and we receive plentiful compliments from visitors and residents, who are overwhelmed by our amazing parks and gardens and our welcoming hospitality. People choose to live in Bournemouth because it is the best, has a great future and is a centre of tourism excellence.

We love this town but we must realise that its success relies on ever increasing visitor numbers and its ability to move with the times. Welcoming visitors to Bournemouth is essential to ensure our future prosperity.

Cllr Michael Filer, Cabinet Member for Roads & Transport