Politicians should all back Cribbs expansion

IN a time of economic hardship Cribbs Causeway is still a success story. Something that is further underlined by its plans to increase in size by almost two-thirds. But it reflects poorly on both Bristol City Council and North Somerset Council to publicly criticise these plans.

They do so, of course, because they see the boundaries between different council areas as being very distinct.

When in fact most people do not even know where they are let alone bother about them.

Their stance is a depressingly parochial one and it is also short-sighted.

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They see a bigger Cribbs Causeway posing a greater threat to their own shops rather than seeing it either as a challenge they have to meet or alternatively as a benefit to the Greater Bristol area.

And surely the more jobs, the more shops and the more people in the area the better it is for everyone.

This fighting between councils has cost us dearly in the past. The feud between Bristol City Council and Gloucestershire County Council robbed us of government funding for a tram network.

And it is hindering the chances of an Integrated Transport Authority for the area.

No one would want a return to Avon but isn't it time local politicians stood back and recognised the importance of the bigger picture?