SHEFFIELD Council's intention to erect a network of CCTV cameras to catch and fine motorists for minor traffic offences will be a great little earner for the council's coffers (Yorkshire Post, March 21).

I recently drove through Sheffield city centre to drop my daughter off for a careers interview. At one set of traffic lights, I was presented with three options.

I hastily decided to take the centre lane. As the lights were on red, I had time to work out what all the signs meant. I then reversed out of the centre lane and pulled over to the left hand lane. As I waited for the lights to change, the next car also drove into the centre lane.

The driver still had time to work out that he/she was in the wrong lane (a bus lane) and reversed and joined me in the left hand lane. It was not possible just to move over as there were barriers between
the lanes.

I came across many similar sets of lights and as a stranger in town I could have made many mistakes. In fact, I did wait illegally for 30 seconds while my daughter crossed the road to pick her up. The tone of Sheffield Council's spokesman implied that I would have been fined £60 for this misdemeanour. Well, good luck to the motorists of Sheffield, I will not be venturing into their city ever again.

A giggle over allegiance

From: Dorothy Anderson, Castle View, Sheriff Hutton, York.

I WONDER if the powers-that- be will decide to subject all school leavers to making an oath of allegiance (Yorkshire Post, March 12) to the country?

I cannot see many of the present day teenagers treating this seriously, as they do daily in America, pledging allegiance to the flag and placing their hands on their hearts in the process. Many of today's youngsters will regard this as little more than a good giggle.

Incidentally, when will someone teach people, and especially manufacturers, how to fly the Union Flag and not signal distress?

Nearly 80 years ago, when being enrolled as a Brownie, I promised on my honour: "To do my duty to God and the King (as it then was) and to help other people at all times, especially those at home."

I think this was taken so seriously and so ingrained that I realise I have lived by this all my life and been involved with years of voluntary work.

And we learned the right way to fly the Union flag! To this day, I cannot help myself but I must look at all the flags. It takes only a moment, but it is another life-long habit.

I don't think this long past education has come amiss over the years.

Gurkhas betrayed

From: Harold Woodworth, Leeds.

THE reason that I purchase this newspaper in preference to others is due to the excellent journalists who contribute.

Bernard Dineen's article (Yorkshire Post, March 24) on the Government's immigration lunacy, with special regard to their treatment of the Gurkhas, left me trembling with anger.

Nobody is more deserving of special treatment than these fearless warriors. Twenty-six VCs says it all.

From: John Watson, Hutton Hill, Leyburn.

I AGREE most strongly with Bernard Dineen about the way we are treating the Gurkhas. These are the people who fought tooth and nail for this country in the last war and whose vocabulary does not contain the word "fear".

I can recall, even now, reading of their exploits against the Japanese in the Far Eastern campaign when, sometimes, armed only with their famous "kukri" and with the odds stacked heavily against them, they performed deeds of valour hitherto unheard of.

The history of the Gurkha regiments, including British soldiers attached, shows that they notched up a total of 26 VCs.

Now, these people are being refused hospitality in this country, when at the same time we are allowing other nations' cast-offs to come here, probably living off the state and diluting the indigenous population whose families have lived here from time immemorial.

Our Government should be ashamed.