Rural clean-up’s not in the bag

IT’S all right Ben Stafford going on about the blight of polythene bags on the countryside (Yorkshire Post, April 1) and yes, it is a problem. However he has only decided to provide one side of the argument.

In the Republic of Ireland since the levy was introduced in 2002, such initiatives can have a perverse effect on the amount of plastics consumed following their introduction.

People who would re-use their “free” carrier bags as make-shift bin liners no longer have a reliable supply and convert back to buying pedal and swing bin liners and refuse sacks.

So much so that such sales rose by as much as 80 per cent and importation of plastic film actually increased after implementation.

Unseated

From: Colin Challen, Labour Candidate, Castle Division, St Sepulchre Street, Scarborough.

IT is incorrect to report that Ukip is standing candidates in all 72 North Yorkshire County Council seats in the May 2 elections (Yorkshire Post, April 9). They could only manage 46. The Labour Party is the only party to field candidates in all 72 seats.

Wrong moor

From: Phil Moon, Addingham.

I WRITE further to your front page article relating to the Dick Hudson’s pub and the Grand National Winner (Yorkshire Post, April 8). Dick Hudson’s pub is situated on Bingley Moor not Baildon Moor.