YP Letters: Much talk on rail, when’s the action?

From: ME Wright, Grove Road, Harrogate.
Will Harrogate MP Andrew Jones deliver a rail revival in Yorkshire?Will Harrogate MP Andrew Jones deliver a rail revival in Yorkshire?
Will Harrogate MP Andrew Jones deliver a rail revival in Yorkshire?

WE now have a “Rail strategy that brings power and opportunity to North” (The Yorkshire Post, December 12). Detailed though it is, this is still only words. Once again, we’re offered the tempting “what” but not the ever-elusive “when”.

Accepting that decades of Westminster neglect and indifference cannot be put right overnight, could we at least be informed exactly how and by whom this “strategy” is to be funded and implemented? Just who are “Rail North Ltd” – yet another overpaid talking shop perhaps?

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We’re told that the two new franchises “will oversee a £1.2bn investment”, but when will strategy become spades? Next year? Some time? Never?

If endless “targets” provide the necessary motivation for the NHS, police and education, what about some for railway upgrading, reinforced by there being no more bonuses or dividends until this “strategy” is fully operational?

As an afterthought: Arriva are back in the picture and they are owned by Deutsche Bahn. Why not beseech Germany to send us a team to sort out the entire UK expensive public transport shambles – trains, trams and buses?

Alas, we seem to be no longer capable of doing this.

From: Coun Tim Mickleburgh (Lab), Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.

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MEANS-TESTING bus passes wouldn’t cost more money as a recent correspondent replied (The Yorkshire Post, December 12). For rather than getting free fares automatically due to age, you have to apply for a pass from your relevant local authority.

All the applicant would have to do is simply give evidence that they either didn’t pay income tax or paid at the standard rate.

Any savings could be used to subsidise the provision of services on the likes of Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day when many are forced to use taxis if they don’t have access to a private car.

Canny move on airport

From: Roger Backhouse, Upper Poppleton, York.

I NEVER thought I’d defend David Cameron but when he delayed a decision on Heathrow expansion he knew he’d earn criticisms of dithering and indecision. In fact he’s carefully calculated his position (The Yorkshire Post, December 12).

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The Conservative candidate for Mayor of London next year, Zac Goldsmith, is opposed to expansion. If David Cameron undermines him, that would wreck his chances and the Conservative parliamentary vote across West London.

Remember that London is one of the few major cities allowing flights over the centre and suburbs, go to once peaceful Kew Gardens to know what damage Heathrow causes. Expansion will only worsen matters and promises of night flight restrictions and quieter aircraft mean little.

Who pays for another runway? Willie Walsh of IAG, major user of Heathrow, says it will be horrendously expensive. He doesn’t want an enlarged Heathrow that will help his competitors. Will British public money be used to help the Spanish company that owns Heathrow? I hope not.

Air travel has grown largely though point to point airlines like Ryanair who won’t go near expensive Heathrow. Overall the South East has adequate spare airport capacity – Stansted is only part used and remains inadequately rail connected.

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Heathrow’s owners know that transfer passengers at hub airports make more money than flights . That’s their motive for expansion, not the well being of the nation. Hence their vast well funded lobbying effort to persuade us that Heathrow expansion is the only option. It isn’t. We shouldn’t be taken in.

Where are the women?

From: Sheila Bethell, Stripe Lane, Hartwith, Harrogate.

ON reading the candidates selected by The Yorkshire Post for the Sports Hero of 2015 (The Yorkshire Post, December 12), I was shocked to find only one female (the outstanding Jessica Ennis-Hill) in the list.

Not wishing to detract anything from the achievements of those chosen, but what about Lizzie Armitstead, World, Commonwealth and National Cycling Road Race Champion?

Also Hannah Cockcroft who retained her IPC World Championship in Doha this year?

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It would seem that a world title for a Yorkshirewoman is not as impressive as a national title for a Yorkshireman. Is the YP Sports Department sexist or just blinkered?

Sports Editor Nick Westby replies: We apologise for the omission. We canvassed opinion of the sports desk and had not realised that our list was so male-dominated. This county has some excellent sportswomen, all of which we are very supportive of. We have updated our shortlist (see sport) to reflect this, with Lizzie Armitstead and Hannah Cockroft both now included.

Self-important

From: Tim Bradshaw, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield.

SO now the fire chiefs are also awarding extra salaries to themselves for doing the job they are well paid to so do (The Yorkshire Post, December 12). As with the managers in the NHS, their self-imposed importance detracts from the reason they are employed in the first place – to look after the public.