My elderly parents have to regularly travel to Leeds hospitals for medical appointments, which normally take most of the day, free treatment which nevertheless costs up to £40 a day in taxi fares. We have, of course, a hospital – but no services.

At the same time, we can kiss goodbye to our local sub-post offices, which provide a valuable local service, again especially to the old and infirm who are unable to travel.

Why should we in the UK, one of the wealthiest nations in Europe and the world, enjoy deteriorating services? What is the common factor that links our decaying public services? This: that they are increasingly run remotely.

Once we had local owners who no doubt felt a duty to support the community that supported them – no longer. Our three chemists are all part of larger chains and evidently know that they can rest easy
on Sundays.

This is in spite of the fact that pharmacy is one of the most profitable retail areas available. When local hospital boards were responsible to local communities, they made it their business to provide the services needed.

And when the Post Office was run to provide a service rather than a profit, we got what we needed, rather than what we would put up with.

Bring back local government, local services – and local duty.


Uplifting experience of town's new bridge


From: James HS Abbott, Banksfield Crescent, Yeadon, Leeds.

I FIND myself forced to write after visiting the new footbridge over the River Aire at Castleford. The bridge was an amazing sight, drawing large numbers of people just to promenade and enjoy the experience. Families, couples, children and local people just doing their shopping, were crossing and clearly appreciating the amenity.

This bridge could indeed be the seed corn of regeneration for the town of Castleford. I visited the bridge with my wife after seeing the Channel 4 programme. This piece of architecture fulfils everything good architecture should be about; function, form and inspiration.

But, and of course there has to be a but, what on earth is that seedy pile of containers and plastic crates doing opposite the bridge? This has been added with the seal of approval of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, an institution with the highest standards, with a history of uplifting the spirit and in many cases challenging the orthodoxy.

Do the people of Castleford not deserve better? This art may be the only introduction to contemporary art that some of them have seen. I speak not as any great art critic but as an individual who takes an interest in the arts. I do not expect to find all art understandable or accessible, but public art needs to be uplifting and even challenging, this is neither.

As part of the regeneration of Castleford, the contribution of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park could be significant. Please encourage them to make it so.


Making it easier for people to enjoy woodlands


From: Jo Lindsay, Forestry Commission, Sherwood District.

IN response to K Bradley's letter "Waste in the woodland" (Yorkshire Post, August 12), the Forestry Commission is a government body and therefore responds to national issues such as health and education.

One of our aims is to "make it easier for people to use and enjoy woodlands, particularly in ways that benefit their physical and mental health". Our work in South Yorkshire has been nationally recognised by health organisations.

There is a growing body of research that shows people can gain significant health benefits from being in the woods and are more likely to stick to an outdoor fitness regime than one at the gym.

Woodlands are great for a range of activities, including walking, cycling and adventurous play. But many people don't realise what is on their doorstep. The activities we offer via our rangers help us to reach a much wider audience and give people a great opportunity to relax, get fit and make friends.

These include green gym conservation tasks, buggyfit outdoor exercise sessions for new mothers and forest experience bushcraft activities. The singles walks are just part of our effort to reach new audiences and have proved very popular, not as a dating agency, but giving people the confidence to get out and explore the woodlands and make new friends.

Many Forestry Commission ranger posts are entirely financed by other organisations, who recognise the value of the benefits we can deliver to people of all ages and backgrounds. This includes primary care trusts, local authorities and neighbourhood renewal funds.