May 9: Tour de Yorkshire must take in all of God’s own county

FOLLOWING on from the obvious success of the Tour de Yorkshire, and with Gary Verity having secured the future of the race for the next five years, I feel sure he will want to arrange for the tour to cover all parts of the county (The Yorkshire Post, May 6).

How about one stage covering the Yorkshire coast from Whitby to Redcar, to include the climb of Boulby and Saltburn Banks and a route through Captain Cook country from Marton (his birthplace) to Great Ayton (where he went to school)? The race on the day could either start or finish in Middlesbrough beside the newly refurbished Transporter Bridge, built in 1911.

After all, The Yorkshire Post, with its excellent reports all season on the town’s efforts to secure Premiership football status and the weather map of the Yorkshire region and the tide times that include Middlesbrough, confirms that geographically the town is still and always has been an integral part of God’s own county.

The Tour de Yorkshire covering these northern and eastern parts would confirm this and boost the tourist economy of the area that is much needed.

From: The Rev Don Clements, Headingley. Leeds.

WITH three good days of exciting cycling in the county, allow me to shoot a friendly pellet in your direction.

Observant Goolites notice once more The Yorkshire Post’s reluctance to include Goole in its features and on its maps (May 2), yet for decades the town’s port importantly was the principal outlet for coal by rail and canal from Yorkshire’s pits, as well as other commodities.

Since returning to my home county after an absence of 53 years, I’ve been struck by what is for me the paper’s blatant jingoism.

By all means, tell it as it is, but please not in regular excess, and be inclusive of the whole county.

On the map you included nearby Lincolnshire towns like Brigg and Scunthorpe, but not Goole!

From: Roger M Dobson, Crosshills, Keighley.

NOW that Gary Verity has had some successes with the cycling races around Yorkshire, surely he is worthy of an honour from Her Majesty to show the country’s confidence in him?

From: Mr W Quinlan, Harrogate.

WHAT can be done to persuade innovators like Gary Verity to stand for Parliament in future? Yorkshire needs such people.

From: Roger P Brown, Sandal, Wakefield.

CONGRATULATIONS to all concerned; the Tour de Yorkshire was a great three days and once again showed Yorkshire at its best.

However, before we all start cycling, can we consider a few points? Recent reports suggest that new car sales are increasing. Even if they replace existing vehicles on a one-to-one basis, new machines are usually larger than earlier models.

Into this scenario we now have cycle lanes. If within the highway, they can significantly reduce the area of roadway available for cars. As a road tax payer, I have not noticed a related reduction in the amount I pay, has anyone else?

Although most cyclists obey the Highway Code, regrettably many do not! Traffic lights and road signs are obviously for interest only, and not to be taken seriously. If a motorist has the misfortune to be in an accident with a cyclist, and even if blameless, who has insurance cover?

I am not anti-cycling. Some years ago I helped create the TransPennine Trail, a segregated footpath and cycleway running from Liverpool to Hull. To my mind such a facility is the way forward.

Perhaps all new major development, be it residential or commercial, should include cycleways.