There are places which need a rail connection which were lost in the era which saw cheap oil, and the consequent drift to cars, and buses, away from trains.

What places would require a rail connection ?Harrogate/Ripon/Northallerton has already been discussed in these columns, yet Harrogate to Leeds via Wetherby would be a useful route. Also, the former track from Arthington to Otley and Ilkley, would relieve some road traffic into Leeds. No doubt, there are others in Yorkshire, such as Beverley to York.

However, much of this is wishful thinking. Why? The Otley connection is not recoverable, as the former stations at Otley and Pool, are either covered in tarmac, or are now housing estates.

I suspect, although I have no detailed local information, that the Wetherby to Leeds trackbed may present the same problems. Other former lines which people may think of restoring, may be in a similar situation.

No doubt, the well-informed readership of the Yorkshire Post will contribute to this debate.

From: Granville Stockdale, Hardwick Street, Hull.


From: Geoff North, Windsor Mount, Leeds.

IT is hard to understand the benefits of a trolley bus scheme for Leeds (Yorkshire Post, June 19).

A trolley bus is no better or worse than a conventional bus or a guided bus in reducing congestion as claimed by the "Metro spokesman" in your article.

Equally, a conventional bus can operate in dedicated lanes as we have on many roads in Leeds at the moment as well as in guided bus lanes, with the added flexibility that they can also leave these dedicated routes and operate on normal roads without any problems.

The only advantage of a trolley bus is its perceived reduction in pollution at the point of use, but if the overall generation of electrical power from our conventional coal fired power stations is taken into account then this benefit is dubious.

Britain needs radical solutions

From: Alfred King, Pershore, Worcs.

I TOTALLY agree with the Rev Tony Buglass (Yorkshire Post, June 17)) that people "voted for the BNP, because they were not Liberal, Labour or Conservative".

However, he is greatly mistaken when comparing them with Hitler and claiming that "…they were elected on a smokescreen of lies and
half-truths".

The BNP MEPs were elected because they offer the policies the other parties refuse to even consider – yet are widely requested by the public.

Mr Buglass accuses them of "telling half-truths and playing on fears about immigration and racism". Yet this is exactly what worries the majority of our population, immigrants included!

Our nation is now in such a terrible and run-down state that radical solutions, such as leaving the EU and a sensible control on our unrestricted immigration, are required in the very near future, if we are to remain a "Main Game" player in the world.

We have tried the liberal-left way for decades – and it's failed. It's high-time we gave someone else a chance.

Farmers deserve help

From: Alan Marsden, Pledwick Lane, Sandal, Wakefield.

WITH reference to the article on the collapse in the milk price (Yorkshire Post, June 13), Gordon Brown thinks the way out of our mess is by borrowing and yet more borrowing. Can he spare a few pounds to bail out our dairy farmers?

Farming is a British industry and the most basic of all. Twice in the past hundred years we have nearly been brought to our knees by starvation.

Helping farming is far more important than providing subsidies to people who scrap their cars. Perhaps Mr Brown thinks that milk and other food comes from the supermarket.

Regional confusion

From: Geoff Hoyle, Burnside Crescent, Skipton.

MRS Hilary Holt's letter (Yorkshire Post, June 10), was spot on about the confusion between the traditional Yorkshire of 1,000 years' history and the recently concocted "Yorkshire and Humber" region.

This region includes north Lincolnshire but excludes about a million Yorkshire folk in the north and west of the county. It seems that the changes in the 1974 Local Government Act were made by Whitehall bureaucrats, who redrew the county administrative boundaries against the wishes of over 80 per cent of the residents affected. They had the authority of Parliament to make administrative changes but it was not democratic and the traditional counties were not affected.

They could stop the present confusion by reverting to the boundaries of traditional Yorkshire as pre-1974 or they can alter the "Yorkshire and Humber" to, say, "East Pennine Region" or join the North-East Region.

Give it any name without "Yorkshire" in it. At the same time, the Yorkshire Forward agency would have to change its name.

Diary of a somebody

From: Michael Ellison, Knapping Hill, Harrogate.

I ENJOY reading "My Yorkshire" in the Yorkshire Post magazine.

However, there is a slight error in one of the answers by Richard Snowden (June 20). Richard mentions the book Timble Man, The Diary Of A Dalesman by John Dickinson.

The name of the author is technically incorrect. Ronald Harker wrote the book. The contents are edited extracts from Diaries of John Dickinson, who was the Registrar for the Fewston District from 1875 (when he succeeded his father of the same name) until his death in 1912.

In May last year, you published a letter from me regarding Otley Show – when I made a reference to these diaries.

There are no direct descendants of John that are still living. His closest living relatives, including myself, are descendants of John's sister Mary Ann.

Changes to prayer

From: Don Metcalfe, Annes Court, Southowram, Halifax.

UNTIL just recently, I had been a chorister for 68 years. I have lived through all the changes that the Church of England have seen fit to introduce.The changes by the C of E to the Lord's Prayer have made me say that enough is enough.

I have attended two funerals in the last four days. At the first funeral, the programme just said "The Lord's Prayer", the second programme printed the new version of the prayer.

What followed was a battle between the old and new version with the old version winning.

The traditional Lord's Prayer is known by almost everybody. Soldiers say it before and during battle, people who never go to church say this prayer when they are troubled. It seems to me that the old saying "if it ain't broke don't mend it" fits this situation. I wonder how many more people have been driven from communion by this change?

Schools should focus on raising standards in English

From: Colin Ella, Westgate Road, Belton, Doncaster.

I AM not a great fan of the Ofsted snoopers but they are probably right in their comments about the standards of English in certain quarters (Yorkshire Post, June 19).

In the job for 20 years, I thought standards were in rapid decline with the serious teaching of grammar – essentials tools of the trade
to me – being given scant regard.

Indeed, English Language across the board was lacking in real depth of application in regard to sentence construction, spelling rules, paragraphing, essay layout and much else.

I do not know whether efforts over the years have done much to improve matters, but my general observation of school and college output would not lead me to think that this was the case.

What I think might help to raise standards all round is a wider application of the subject in our schools. Give it more authority overall.

Where any kind of written expression is needed anywhere in any subject, let it be checked and marked for accuracy, and especially at examination level. I can recall pupils being given O-level passes for papers containing essays which never went beyond using simple sentences. That is to say, sentences of one verb with
no use of clauses at all. The main object in all English teaching is to try to inculcate a love of words in their use and interplay.

Yes, there are undoubtedly some very capable exponents of language among our students but I guess the inspectors will have got this judgment right.

Jayne is breath of fresh air

From: Brian Sheridan, Redmires Road, Sheffield.

I AM surprised at the brickbats flying from your letters page (Yorkshire Post, June 19) in the direction of Jayne Dowle following her sensitive piece: "Just what do I tell my child about the British National Party?"

For my money, Jayne Dowle is an outstanding columnist. I always look forward to her weekly contribution.

Unlike her detractors, at least one of whom denies – ludicrously – that the BNP is a fascist party, she is a breath of fresh air.

Greens against the monarchy

From: David Crummack, Sinnington, York.

I DID not have access to Green Party literature, but I saw their MEP Caroline Lucas being interviewed and understand that they are anti-monarchy – perhaps they say as much in the small print.

In view of the fact that church leaders told us not to vote BNP, is it not disingenuous of them not to, also, condemn the Green Party for this stance?

After all, the Queen is head of the Church of England. Thank heavens for that.

An old assumption

From: Michael Atkinson, Eastgate, Hornsea, East Yorkshire.

I READ with incredulity (Yorkshire Post, June 18) a story describing a couple in their mid-60s as elderly. As a fellow "elderly" person, with almost a full set of marbles, and fit as a butcher's dog, I can only conclude that the writer thinks of her 30-something parents as already being in their dotage.

Easy money

From: R Brandon, Doncaster Road, Worksop.

IT is difficult to reconcile the redundancy payments made to Yorkshire Forward employees to the maximum weekly redundancy pay of £350, even after applying the relevant multiples relating to age and service (Yorkshire Post, June 16).

Power statement

From Terry Duncan, Greame Road, Bridlington, East Yorkshire.

WHO is running this country? Is it Gordon Brown or is it Peter Mandelson? We need a statement from Downing Street, now. Not next week, but now.