Financial troubles of North Yorkshire Moors Railway are not a surprise given cost of imported coal - Yorkshire Post Letters

The title is not over-dramatic for the report in The Yorkshire Post. 'Doubts' on the future of the heritage railway line are entirely predictable and are the result of self destructive blinkered government actions.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is in financial trouble, citing huge cost increases. A significant item in the annual report highlights coal costs which have risen from around £67,000 per annum using indigenous supplies, to a staggering £308,000 per annum from imported sources.

My letter and that of Jarvis Browning, kindly printed in your paper August 23, 2023, both criticising the folly of destroying the production of UK coal facilities have had entirely predictable consequences.

The loss of local steam coal for NYMR was a destructive act by Minister Robert Jenrick by refusing open cast 'clean' coal production.

When will this government and national industrial bodies start to promote UK production using UK labour and utilising indigenous resources?

These islands have been blessed with huge deposits of raw materials but instead of using them, the climate change zealots and pressure groups are happy to export the jobs and import everything we need.

The balance of payments deficit has spiralled to an unbelievable size and it looks like our grandchildren will have to find a way to restore financial credibility to this country.

It is surely time to be more resourceful and self-reliant.