YP Letters: From: Natalie Bennett, Former Green Party leader, Sheffield.

YOUR interview with Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, “I absolutely understand the need for Yorkshire transport investment”, could not have been more apt, published on the day the think-tank IPPR North (The Yorkshire Post, February 20) published a report demonstrating that more than half of UK spending on transport networks is in London.

Current planned London spending is £1,943 per person. In Yorkshire and Humber that figure is £190.

This is not just a question of “what is being built at the time”, as Mr Grayling claimed. It is long term under-investment that’s left our rail system in a parlous state, with, as the author of this report points out, it taking longer to get from Liverpool to Hull than it does from London to Paris. And the slashing of rural and local bus services has left many people unable to travel at all, or forced on to congested, polluted roads when public transport would be a better option. HS2 is only going to worsen the situation, focusing money, people and resources even more on London.

What’s needed is to abandon that expensive white elephant and make a coherent, cohesive, full plan for travel in Northern England, then invest to deliver it.

That’s something that needs to be done in the North. We know we can’t trust London, either to get it right or to deliver the cash.

From: ME Wright, Harrogate.

THE 1952 smogs and deaths mentioned by Andrew Vine (The Yorkshire Post, February 21) could at least be attributed to honest muck and ignorance. Now our lords and masters, both national and local, are able to get away with endless obfuscation and prevarication, because today’s atmospheric filth is mostly invisible.

Though a countrywide problem, the increasing chaos and congestion in the major European city of Leeds is yet another reminder that asking drivers to leave their cars at home will go largely unheeded, unless an effective and affordable option is provided. Council talking shops continue to take precedence over action; Westminster continues to dodge and deny and most of the city’s MPs sit back and watch it happen – or rather – not happen. Why?

Schemes don’t hold water

From: John Goodman, Retired drainage consultant, Beverley.

THE Environment Agency (EA) is spending £36m on flood defences along the banks of the River Hull within the boundaries of the city of Hull.

The East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC), under the River Hull Integrated Catchment Scheme, recommends spending £40m on lock gates at the mouth of the River Hull, and a further £5.2m on flood banks along the Barmston Drain.

Yorkshire Water has already spent £16m of our money on pumps in Hull city to pump surface water from Kingswood into the River Hull. These unco-ordinated schemes will not achieve improvements to the overall drainage of the River Hull valley. A united scheme could have achieved so much.

Hard graft the only way

From: R Martin Downs, Main Street, Linton-On-Ouse, York.

I DISAGREE with Jayne Dowle (The Yorkshire Post, February 20) trying to explain why it is so much more difficult for children (hers in particular) to succeed nowadays in comparison to children born to wealthy and hence privileged parents.

She notes it was also easier for her three “Barnsley icons”, Dickie Bird, Geoff Boycott and Michael Parkinson, to succeed. It would seem to me that she is the one making it harder for her children to succeed. As any entrepreneur will tell you, the first and hardest step is to actually start whatever it is one wants to do. Then they need to apply themselves assiduously to their endeavour.

Long days, seven days a week may well be needed. Some luck needs to be spotted for what it is and acted upon. The harder one works, the amount of luck seems to grow, hoover it up and use it to one’s advantage.

Jayne, there are no failures, only stepping stones to success. If you encourage your kids to start, get involved and please get rid of that large chip off your shoulder.

Fight for our culture

From: Brian Ormondroyd, Birchwood Court, Ilkley.

BRITAIN is a country decaying. We cannot allow this to continue. We have a duty to our following generations to have libraries, museums and culture which is the hallmark of a civilisation.

What we can afford, must afford, is a serious cut in our military spending. Social and health care before submarines, maternity provision before military might. Teachers before Trident.

Soon there will be little to defend. Defend our public services now.

Dignity and bureaucracy

From: Tim Mickleburgh, Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.

I WAS interested to read the letter from J Ellwood (The Yorkshire Post, February 20). As a Dignity Champion and volunteer at a care home, I’m struck by how kind and considerate those working there are, often in difficult conditions.

I do though think that there is an awful lot of paperwork, and that those making inspections can prioritise this above care.

Nightmare on high street

From: Jarvis Browning, Main Street, Fadmoor, York.

WE were once known as the nation of small shopkeepers, are the new business rates going to kill us off? Need we to say what will happen then?