All Creatures Great and Small effect on Dales traffic requires tourism plan: Yorkshire Post Letters

I HAVE recently read two articles in The Yorkshire Post about TV programmes such as All Creatures Great and Small helping to boost visitors numbers to the Dales.

I should like to pose the question as to what thought is being given to controlling the impact of ever-increasing visitor numbers?

Hotspots such as Grassington and Burnsall already seem close to saturation and this begins to detract from the enjoyment of the visitor experience.

Much impact is, though, caused by the sheer thoughtlessness, especially in the use of private transport.

Recently I have witnessed cars parked between the cones at Bolton Abbey causing long tailbacks.

Much of the time my own road trips are tailgated or met by vehicles speeding around blind bends. Other times I crawl behind cycle packs that think they are entitled to the whole width of the road.

However, on the plus side, I am often pleasantly surprised by lack of litter in most places.

Of course the Dales depend on a vibrant economy in ever more challenging conditions.

Unless this is managed in proactive way, though, it will begin to kill the “goose that lays the golden egg”.

Encouraging visits to a wider range of attractions and locations, together supporting the use of good public transport are just two important factors. Is there, however, a comprehensive sustainable tourism plan that isn’t gathering dust somewhere?

From; Dave Ellis, Magdalen Lane, Hedon.

I READ with much interest the report (The Yorkshire Post, September 24) about the increase in interest in 
Yorkshire due to the success of television programmes such as All Creatures Great and Small and Peaky Blinders, and we should not forget old series such as Last of the Summer Wine.

Surely the skills of script writers, executive producers and television companies should also be given credit for their talent in writing, and commitment to screening these successful programmes?

It is not new that students from overseas countries have always selected the quality of education provided at Yorkshire universities.

The success of promoting Yorkshire to international tourist is a partnership between the tourist agency, the media, in news programmes and newspaper articles and private companies to name a few.

Call me cynical but there are not many new ideas which have not been used or ‘‘recycled’’ before!

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Thank you

James Mitchinson