Train service way off track

THIS is part of a letter I sent to Northern Rail on Tuesday after another shambolic morning on the Harrogate line. I thought that your readers would be interested.

“Once again today, for the second day running, the 08.23 train from Horsforth to Leeds consisted of two cars only – one short of the quota for this timing.

“It is obvious that your company’s contempt for passengers on this line is getting more intense. May I urge you to consider putting signs on your stations: We urge all our passengers to find a better and more reliable means of completing their journey to work”.

It just won’t do. Year on year, public transport in Britain gets worse and worse – and it’s anyone’s fault but the operator concerned.

Jogged memory

From: Brian Sheridan, Redmires Road, Sheffield.

FurthEr to the debate on the probability of eliciting an expression of gratitude when stepping aside for joggers on the pavement, I find that hurling myself into the hedgerow while apologising profusely for being in the way does the trick. It also works with pavement cyclists.

How on earth did jogging become so fashionable? When I was a boy in a small South Yorkshire town, if an adult put on shorts and went out running they would be a laughing stock. I can just see the dogs and kids in pursuit.

Big issue

From: D Neal, Crosshills, Keighley.

is nothing ever going to get done to stem the immense predicted population growth? It is very obvious to anyone who gives a thought to it, that this increase cannot go on indefinitely. The longer the present increase goes on, the less food, water and living space there will be.

England is already grossly over-populated and house building will have to take over more farmland, instead of food production. The Chinese have a good idea, with one child per family.