Barmy politically correct brigade (From Falmouth Packet)

Barmy politically correct brigade

9:52am Wednesday 6th January 2010

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I see the barmy politically correct brigade have been at it again. If like me you are a driver you are no longer a motorist according to government ministers who continue to be hell-bent on changing the English language for the most stupid of reasons.

No, we are to be known as road users. Even more stupid is the edict from the Highways Agency to staff not to use the term winter maintenance. In its place should be used agency winter services. Even the phrase off-peak hours is being treated as taboo.

All this rubbish will appear in statements issued by the agency or by its staff when talking to members of the public so beware, you may all be scratching your heads when told “a road user was involved in an accident” or “agency winter services will grit the roads”.

It appears our government departments have little better to do than work out what new words and phrases to introduce to the English language rather than getting on with the job we pay them for.

Such new terminology will no doubt spread to the lower echelons of government and before long reach our own Cornwall Council whose statements and press releases already include jargon few of us understand and I doubt the authority does either.

My gripe is the fact it is not the Government’s job to tell us how we should speak and I doubt its own staff like being told what words to use and what not to use.

Many will think this latest batch of bureaucratic garbage which I am told has been issued to staff in the form of a five page guidance note, is yet another attack on motorists. It also tells staff not to refer to carriageways but lanes, reduce congestion and not improving congestion or make the route safer and not improve safety.

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