YP Letters: High-speed train proves a brain drain

CLEARLY Alan Mak, despite coming from York, is quite the wrong man to be involved with the Northern Powerhouse concept. He is in favour of HS2, which will do far more damage to the northern economy than any benefit which might accrue (The Yorkshire Post, March 20).

Surely he will have considered the effects of the high-speed trains from Tokyo to Osaka and from Paris to Marseilles? Each went forward on the basis of the huge benefit which would accrue to the second city from the capital, but in each case the opposite has been the result; a great flow of talent and business enterprise drawn out from the second city into the capital.

This effect has been established; there is no chance of it being reversed.

Any progress on the Northern Powerhouse idea demands HS3, but rejects HS2. However, the Establishment knows the truth and HS2 will be forced upon us and we in the North will suffer from its effects for many generations to come.

From: Mrs J Healey, Calverley Road, Oulton.

RE the comment by Mr R Turner (The Yorkshire Post, March 18), I agree wholeheartedly that HS2 is the biggest vanity project embarked on by the Government. It is the biggest waste of public money by far, will only benefit the minority and is unwanted by the majority. A referendum should be called. Alas I fear, once bitten twice shy!

The Government probably knows the outcome and hence it will never happen. Considering the state of our economy, I struggle to come to terms with such idiotic behaviour.

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield.

THERE has been much discussion about traffic hold-ups in cities like Hull and Leeds. Some are blaming it on cycle and bus lanes.

While there is little doubt that these do have an impact, the main problem, as I see it, is the increase of the number of vehicles using the roads.

Park and ride schemes will, as they do in York, alleviate some of the congestion but many still prefer to suffer the jams and stick with their cars. It can only get worse, whatever the local authorities try.

From: Peter Horton, Sandy Lane, Ripon.

I FIND myself in complete agreement with your correspondent S Stevenson (The Yorkshire Post, March 20) about the empty bus lanes in Leeds and the foolish waste of usable road space, creating unnecessary congestion.

He finishes by asking: “Why doesn’t Leeds Council see sense? Do like Liverpool and other cities and scrap them.”

I have news for your writer; Leeds City Council seems remarkably devoid of common sense in its apparent war on the motorist. Every few days The Yorkshire Post carries official advertisements for ever more interference in smooth traffic flow in the form of fatuous 20 mph speed limits and hideous humps and, hilariously, they refer to these excrescences as “highway improvements”; a wonderful example of Orwellian doublespeak.

When I wrote to the previous leader of Leeds City Council, along these lines, and in my capacity as a member of North Yorkshire County Council who sometimes has to drive in Leeds, he merely pompously replied that I should keep my opinions to myself and not comment on the policies of a different council. So much for serving and responding to the public, wherever we come from.

Standing up to hard Brexit

From: Kamran Hussain, Yorkshire and Humber Liberal Democrats Brexit Spokesperson.

THE Prime Minister has chosen to take us out of the Single Market before she has even tried to negotiate. Membership of the Single Market is vital for the British economy and for the jobs of millions of British people.

Labour had the chance to block Theresa May’s hard Brexit and ensure ministers were held to account, but chose to sit on their hands. I am confident that the people will choose the Liberal Democrats to replace Labour as the official opposition and then replace the Conservatives as the Government.

From: Michael Dobson, Feversham Crescent, York.

FURTHER to the letter from Allan Davies (The Yorkshire Post, March 18) regarding voting percentages in the EU referendum, he fails to mention the corollary of his calculations which is that only 36 per cent of the 75 per cent voted in favour of remaining in the EU. To partly plagiarise his final comment it is difficult to regard this as a ringing endorsement for staying in the EU.

Since time immemorial, Parliamentary and local elections have been won or lost on lower percentage turnouts than that achieved in the EU referendum and people have accepted the results. It’s the way the present voting system works – accept it.

No need for guilt on NHS

From: Barry Foster, High Stakesby, Whitby.

I RETIRED from work a number of years ago. Since then I have been able to enjoy a fairly full and active life. There has been the occasional visit to my local GP and a couple of occasions when a visit to a hospital consultant has been deemed necessary.

This is despite falling into the age bracket which is daily being accused of draining the NHS and being made to feel guilty for this.

Something happened recently for me to have a drastic change of mind and any guilt faded away. What was this? Of course it was seeing all those golden oldies in the House of Lords sleeping and snoring and getting £300 per day just for the sheer pleasure.

No more worries folks, there must still be plenty in the pot.

From: Delia Coburn, Ackworth.

NO more roll-over lottery money. Pay it straight into the NHS.

Only this week a lottery winner pocketed over £16m – this could have saved lives.