Monday's Letters: Why we are still waiting for the trains to arrive

Not only are the almost 25-year-old Sprinters – and their even older Pacer cousins – still in use on the local network, it seems they will be for the foreseeable future, following the Department for Transport's recent announcement that it is reviewing likely future demand before the procurement of new carriages. The original train might have been 22 minutes late but the fear is we could be waiting years for its replacement to arrive.

Rail is one of West Yorkshire's success stories, and while officials in London apparently believe it is acceptable for West Yorkshire rail passengers to be travelling on these "heritage" vehicles, Metro does not. With local passenger numbers having risen 34 per cent since 2004, we need additional carriages just to meet the current demand and tackle overcrowding.

Otherwise there is a danger that people will be forced off trains and back on to the roads, which will have a negative environmental impact and will contribute to congestion and its associated cost to businesses and jobs. The benefits of such investment to support economic growth across West Yorkshire and the Leeds City Region are huge, and Metro will continue to press the Department for Transport to deliver the additional carriages it promised for our local network

From: Coun Ryk Downes, Chairman, Metro.

From: David M Cook, Leeds.

NGT, being son of Supertram, fails to address some of the fundamental failings of that proposal for Leeds. It is essentially a reincarnation of the 1950s trolleybuses.

The only way to persuade drivers out of cars is to impose such a cost that public transport becomes attractive. Superbus needs to be part of

an holistic approach. NGT stands gloriously alone. The council must consider a congestion charge covering the city centre.

However, we need a bit of original thinking to protect the vitality of our central area. Daily car commuters bring little benefit to the city other than that which would pertain if they used public transport.

Visitors to the centre who journey for a meeting, a shopping trip, a hairdressing appointment or a meal are the life blood of the city and seldom linger longer than three or four hours.

This kind of activity would be supported by a congestion charge covering the city centre levied only when a car is in the zone for longer than say four hours. It will impose a substantial penalty on those who park all day.

Superbus would run from park and ride sites on the edge of the city. Each scheme would be secure, convenient and attractive. The parking ticket should purchase not only the right to park but also a day ticket for all public transport inside the outer ring road.

Permit parking zones for residents and local businesses would ensure that the roads are not overloaded by parked cars displaced from the city centre. Bus lanes would keep the Superbus running faster than private cars.

With park and ride, and a logical congestion charge, it will reduce congestion without the offensive visual clutter of the NGT proposal. Indeed it might even succeed in making Leeds the place we want it to be for the next 50 years.

Magic of theatre in the open air

From: Ernie Stea, Silpho, Scarborough.

IN reply to Don Metcalfe's letter (Yorkshire Post, June 5), I would like to put him right on one or two points.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin was performed during the Second World War and had to be put on very early as the blackout was still in force.

I first took part in the 1935 production of Carmen; I was 13-years-old and was the leader of the ragamuffins imitating the soldiers. In 1936 I was one of Queen Elizabeth's two pages and in 1937 I joined

the men's chorus and was a soldier.

I am now in my 89th year and I have lots of lovely memories of Scarborough Open Air Theatre's glory days and I hope to see those days come back now that the place has been refurbished. I feel sure that there are still some Scarborians who remember when the theatre was opened in 1932.

The stage was built specially for the first production, Merrie England, and for quite a number of years people talked of going to Merrie England and not the open air theatre. The second production was Tom Jones and then Hiawatha in 1934. I have all the programmes from 1935 to 1949, even the wartime ones which my brother Ron was in while I was away in the Navy. I got autographs from several of the principals, but the one I prize most is Edith Coates who became eventually the director of the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden.

Vital funds we give away

From: V Platt, Hereford Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

I THINK that someone is pulling our leg or pulling the wool over our eyes. We keep getting told that the country is broke but how can this be? Here is a set of figures selected at random for a seven-day period in November 2009 of expenditure, other than all home costs (NHS, education etc).

November 15 40m to Nepal; 45m to the EU; November 16 45m EU, November 17 45m EU; November 18 172.5m Ethiopia, 45m EU, 34m Sierra Leone; November 19 45m EU, 34m Pakistan; November 20 45m EU; November 21 1m Sri Lanka, 1m Cumbria (flood), 34m EU. The total: 597.5m. Not bad eh? I bet our OAPs would like a little bit of that.

Before anyone starts blaming Gordon Brown, remember that David Cameron stated categorically that overseas aid would be "ring fenced" (protected and not open to discussion) in his pre-election campaign, so

how can we possibly be bankrupt or can it be that we are borrowing money just to give it away? No, that would be absolute madness,

wouldn't it? But then I'm no slick banker, politician or financial wizard, just an octogenarian with a 500 per month pension and a modicum of common sense.

The power of the Press

From: Barbara Harrison, Parkside Avenue, Queensbury, Bradford.

IAN McMillan's article (Yorkshire Post, June 8), as usual amusing to read, omits further uses for the newspaper. Beautiful objects can be made from papier mach.

Windows can not only be covered by newspaper but also be polished to a high sheen by using a sheet of newspaper, squashed into a ball and doused with vinegar and used to clean the glass without leaving any smear.

A temporary floor covering can be made while polishing shoes and also an effective boot mat is useful for those days when wet muddy boots need to be left to dry. Wet leather shoes benefit from newspaper being stuffed into the shoe to retain the shape and also to help dry the leather.

I believe the insulating properties of newspaper are also useful as a temporary wrapping for getting frozen food home from the shop without it thawing out too much.

At the end of its life, the newspaper can then be recycled.

Are there are further uses that can be suggested for this surprisingly versatile item? Perhaps Ian McMillan can expand his story?

Let's learn a lesson from teachers, not just historians

From: Eric Houlder, Pontefract.

AS usual, Jayne Dowle writes obvious common sense (Yorkshire Post, May 10). Why government, of either complexion, has not realised that the best qualified historians are not necessarily the best teachers, or indeed the best persons to put together a school history syllabus, escapes me.

With years of experience both of teaching history (and archaeology) and as a professional archaeologist, I have long realised that high-level qualifications do not necessarily equip a person to inspire pupils or students.

Indeed, some of the most stultifying lessons and lectures which I have heard have been delivered by people with far higher qualifications than mine, or indeed than most teachers.

Government should go to the pupils, present and past, and ask them who were the best teachers. Then use that pool of talent to draw up broad outline syllabi only. The rest should be left to the teacher in the classroom.

From: David H Rhodes, Keble Park North, Bishopthorpe, York.

i waS a little dismayed to read in Jayne Dowle's otherwise enjoyable article (Yorkshire Post, June 7) the line: "Me and the kids." Any English teacher worth their salt must cringe when they see this ever-increasing misuse of the language. So why don't they correct it in school? The proper use of English dictates that in speech or writing others are put before oneself. So what's the problem? It's only a rearrangement of words and the meaning is the same, isn't it?

The problem is surely psychological, so if you put yourself first in speech you will then believe in your own superiority in life and thus have a selfish mentality in practice. Current attitudes seem to support this theory.

Migrant issue open to abuse

From: Trev Bromby, Sculcoates Lane, Hull.

IN my opinion, family allowance in its present form is open to abuse from our European workforce and welfare-claiming migrants. As such, it should be withdrawn and re-thought, with immediate effect.

Stories abound of migrants coming here pregnant, having two more children, then returning home with a guaranteed income for 16 years as the offspring were born here. True or false? There are also stories of established workers claiming for children at home in their country – with rumours the said children are, in some cases, fictitious.

There are also the factual cases, proven in courts of law, of people living here claiming for non-existent children.

Most home-grown claimants regard it as their pocket money. The sooner the multi-million pound hole is blocked the better.

It is a relic and needs consigning to the dustbin of time, for all the taxpayers' sake.

A woof estimate

From: Peter Young, Cambridge Drive, Otley.

THE archive picture from 1956 of the warden of Stainforth Youth Hostel, Mr RE Gummerson, teaching his dogs to play draughts (Yorkshire Post, June 8) reminds me that, at a later date, I saw a dog belonging to the warden at Aysgarth Youth Hostel which could add up simple sums!

When the warden asked it, for instance, what three plus four made, the dog would give seven barks. The man and his dog used to attend local social events where this canine computer showed off his skills.

Of course, there may have been some sleight-of-hand (or foot) involved, but nevertheless this was a smart dog.

Perhaps it was a descendant of one of those shown in the picture, since both owners worked in the YHA.

Warning sign

From: Phil Moon, Addingham, Ilkley.

DURING the telephone discussion David Cameron had with President Obama relating to the accidental oil spill at the offshore well owned by BP it would have been of interest for both of them to discuss the special relationship that allows American defence systems to be installed in Britain, in particular the early warning system at Menwith Hill, North Yorkshire.

This system gives the Americans three minutes warning of a nuclear attack – not anyone else.

One assumes that in any action by a foreign aggressor military tactics would call for Menwith Hill to be obliterated, along with the majority of the Yorkshire population, prior to any attack on America.