I feel that skateboarding should definitely not be banned in the city centre as I would prefer see youths skateboarding and spending their time constructively than hanging around on the streets getting drunk. Which would you prefer?

I think the people objecting to skateboarding are prejudiced and perceive skateboarders as mindless thugs who have nothing better to do, when in fact it is a very constructive and technical sport.

The council should not try and just please the non-skateboarding community when they could reach a compromise so that everyone is happy by building a skate-park which is good enough (and free) which will keep us skateboarders from practising in 'the triangle'.

Matthew Lavin, 15

I am writing to voice my opinion about skating in Manchester city centre. I am a rollerblader (to use a brand name) and I have been skating in the city centre for over 5 years now.

I think it's unreasonable to suddenly make something that I've been doing for so long illegal. Now I realise that so far, the emphasis in the papers has been on banning skateboarding, but you'd probably be surprised how many people don't even know the difference between skateboarding and inline skating.
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Neil McDonald, 19.

If the skateboarders at Safeway car park had left the premises as instructed by staff then perhaps the teenager would not have broken his arm.

On several occasions I have seen the teenager and up to six lads weaving in and out of parked cars and cars have had to stop when they have skated in front of cars coming in to park.

Also on occasions I have seen them sat on the supermarket wall smoking and drinking beer, perhaps the mother would be less supportive of her son skateboarding in the car park if he was hit by a car or she received a repair bill for damage caused to paintwork on parked cars.

Being chased by staff does not seem to have deterred the teenager as he and his friends are back skateboarding in the car park. Safeway car park is for shoppers not skateboarders.

Christopher McLoughlin

The skateboarder got his just rewards.

For the last 5 months I have had to endure skateboarders outside my house almost every evening. I am completely at my wits end . The noise is unbeareable and the street is becoming a teenagers playground.

I have politely asked them to move several times only for them to keep returning. I have telephoned the police three times but they have done completely nothing. The skateboarders laugh when I mention the police. Is it any wonder???

I have lost my temper with them - some of them move on but I get cheek off one of them. If I take the law into my own hands I will get in trouble. I am quite sure the police would turn up then. I have got to the stage were I now hate going home after work as I know it is going to be another stressful evening.

Something has to be done to outlaw this practice in any street, not just in the city centre.

As far as I am concerned, it is a pity that he didn't break his bloody head!!!!

Graham Unsworth

I skateboard at Safeways and have never been drinking alcohol in there. The ones who smoke are over 16 so they are allowed to smoke. If people in the city centre are spending all this money for companies, they should of requested for a skatepark to be built a long time ago. To get us off the streets they should build skateparks in the local parks.

Gareth Herd

Skateboarding should be banned anywhere there are cars, bikes or anything like that. What happens if somebody runs them over?. If they want to practise let them go on a main highway.

Michael Percy

So the skateboarders get a skate park, to keep them off the streets.Whatever happened to the roller skating facilities we roller skaters want?. Or do we have to start skating around the streets of Manchester to get the attention from the council? Why can't Manchester build a skate park and roller rink all in one, under one roof, or is this to much to ask?

What about the velodrome which has a nice wooden floor in the centre, which we old classic quad skaters could use? I doubt we would get a look in.

C'mon Manchester get your act together, and think of us roller skaters.

Fed up with nothing to do:John Malik

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