Flag Lane Swimming Pool, Crewe

We the undersigned would be grateful if you would consider the following arguments in relation to your plans for swimming pools in Crewe.

As we understand it, the Council is considering closing the Flag Lane pool and selling the site for residential development.  There are plans to contribute £2 million to a new pool at the Manchester Metropolitan University Crewe campus.  However, this new pool will be shared with University staff and students, which will only serve to increase the currently unmet demand for water space in Crewe. 

At present, in addition to normal public swimming (there are on average, 20,000 attendances per month), the Flag Lane pool also has to cater for clubs and schools.  However, there are insufficient hours in each day for the pool to meet the needs of an ever-increasing population.  Only last year, for example, there was a waiting list of 130 potential learner swimmers, despite 554 already having been accommodated in 79 classes.  These types of pressures on the new pool at MMU will be even greater and will result in a huge reduction in the already limited provision for members of the public.

Thus, what is required is a wholly public swimming pool.  We believe that for as little as £7 million such a facility could be provided at the new Cumberland Arena leisure centre and strongly urge the Council to consider funding this rather than the MMU pool (which is to be built anyway, regardless of input from the Council).   In fact, funding is not an issue.  It is our understanding that the Council has over £20m in unspent capital.   

Meanwhile, the Flag Lane Pool could be devoted to schools, clubs and regular swimmers, thus freeing up more water space at the Cumberland facility to cater for ever-increasing public requirements.  The Flag Lane pool is ideally located to serve the community of Crewe.  It is relatively central, such that the majority of users can walk to it, or use public transport.  The MMU site on the other hand, is at least 15 minutes walk beyond the outskirts of Crewe, along a busy and heavily congested road, which is difficult to negotiate on foot and poorly served by public buses.  These factors would be prohibitive for many of the regular swimmers who currently use the Flag Lane pool.  Not all have access to car transport.  Besides which, at this time of increasing road congestion and resultant air pollution, and concerns for the environment, not to mention the regular reports in the media warning of the threats to health and well-being posed by obesity, but highlighting the benefits of exercise and fitness, surely the Council should be making visits to leisure facilities sustainable rather than untenable. 

We believe that the Council should also be taking decisions based on the requirements of the Crewe community, not on what is the cheapest option.  The Flag Lane Pool is already a fully functioning purpose-built pool which potentially has years of life ahead of it.  Its importance to its users cannot be overemphasised.  To demolish it in favour of a residential development would be a hapless waste of public money and to squander an excellent facility, which is incidentally, an historic and architectural gem, containing many of its original features.

Thank you for taking the time to read our letter.