YP Letters: Let's build on potential of the Settle to Carlisle line

From: Jim Horsley, Panorama Drive, Ilkley.
The Flying Scotsman crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct, on its  journey from Oxenhope to Carlisle to celebrate the re-opening of the Settle to Carlisle railway.The Flying Scotsman crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct, on its  journey from Oxenhope to Carlisle to celebrate the re-opening of the Settle to Carlisle railway.
The Flying Scotsman crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct, on its journey from Oxenhope to Carlisle to celebrate the re-opening of the Settle to Carlisle railway.

EXCELLENT news of the Settle to Carlisle line being fully re-opened on schedule (The Yorkshire Post, April 1).Congratulations to Network Rail on their splendid achievement.

The steam journeys with Tornado and Flying Scotsman have been a great way of bringing the line to the notice of a wider public and will doubtless bring a huge increase in traffic.

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The next step must be to introduce observation coaches to build on the huge potential for tourism as they do in Switzerland. This would be an excellent investment particularly as many more British people are spending holidays in the UK and also the weaker pound will attract more foreign visitors.

Passengers want to see an end to the “Pacers” and there is no doubt that the line should benefit from carriages with better vision and, hopefully, more-steam hauled trains which have proved their potential on other heritage lines.

It would be interesting to know the views of the operators and National Rail.

From: George McManus, Whins Lane, Long Riston.

TOM Richmond is right to call upon the Government to increase investment in our regional railways (The Yorkshire Post, April 4).

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£400m wouldn’t even pay for a mile of Crossrail but it would be enough to ‘re-open the 40 mile route between Hull and Yorkshire via Beverley. Even less would be needed for the strategic Skipton to East Lancashire link. Both would allow for significant increases in capacity with the economic and social benefits which accrue.But it’s not the public Tom needs to persuade, it’s the dinosaurs on the likes of East Riding Council who have their heads buried so deep in the sand, that they’re unable to recognise the golden opportunity which presents itself.

Fight against this closure

From: Bob Swallow, Townhead Avenue, Settle.

I HAVE just read with alarm the news that Castleberg Hospital in Giggleswick has been forced to close following concerns over its power supply and heating.

Last year I attended a regular meeting of some of the Airedale Hospital executives and managers in Settle and raised a concern over the future of this hospital, being told that there were no plans for closure.

Going back several years at a massively well attended meeting at the Victoria Hall in Settle, Dr Barry Brewster, then leader of the Settle GP practice and many others, took on the might of the Airedale Executive who were then hellbent on closing this wonderful local resource. Dr Brewster won. This I submit is closure by stealth at the second attempt. Castleberg is a community hospital which is a most valuable asset. The late great Bill Mitchell past editor of both Dalesman and Cumbria magazines spent his last weeks there where his friends were able to visit him. Airedale is a near 50 mile round trip. I would urge all local residents to fight this stealth closure by all means possible.

Is diversity to blame here?

From: Edward Mitchell, Homberg Road, Wembdon, Somerset.

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THERE was a particularly moving service at Westminster Abbey to honour survivors and victims of the recent Westminster terrorist outrage (The Yorkshire Post, April 6).

The Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend John Hall, led the service which also celebrated the diversity in London. Surely, though, if we hadn’t had that diversity, we wouldn’t have had the situation in the first place?

From: Canon Michael Storey, Healey Wood Road, Brighouse.

IT was sad to see the lack of respect of the Muslims attending the Westminster Abbey service, dressed in hats, contrary to good manners when entering a Christian place of worship.

I spent 20 years as a parish priest in Huddersfield and entered many mosques – always careful to dress as required in a Muslim place of worship. Why can’t Muslims show the same respect for Christian places of worship, I wonder? Does this suggest that Jesus’ hope of love and respect for all people isn’t shared by Islam?

Radio plays it straight

From: Don Webb, Rothwell.

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WITH reference to Tom Richmond (The Yorkshire Post, April 1) and his comments on BBC Radio 4’s Six O’Clock News with its straight, factual reporting.

I have listened to Radio 4 for many years and must agree with Mr Richmond’s comments. Many of the current affairs programmes are of interest. I also find their investigative programmes of interest. One thing about radio, you don’t have distracting background music playing when someone is talking, this irritant is becoming more and more the norm on television.

Bus company woe... again

From: Alan Freeman, Bramley.

My latest experience of FirstBus in Leeds was as follows. I needed to use service 91 from Bramley to Headingley on Friday early evening, 31 March 2017.

I arrived at the stop in good time only to find the display saying ‘cancelled’.

No attempt at explanation or apology.

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My anger at this was heightened following the recent revelations that in 2005 FirstBus was lobbying at Government level to deny Leeds, the third largest city in this country, a 21st century transport network.

It would seem that it 
worked.

If Leeds City Council were doing what they should, this should have been the final nail in the coffin for FirstBus in Leeds.

Unfortunately Leeds City Council do not seem to indulge themselves in such issues.

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