Tuesday's Letters: Leaders should hang heads in shame over state of city

Bradford Council, the now defunct Regeneration Company led by Maud Marshall, and Yorkshire Forward should all hang their heads in shame. That they do not do so tells us all just how badly we are being served.

We see 24m being expended on a City Park that few people want. We are told that this will attract 2.2 million visitors per year (that's more than 6,000 a day, 365 days of the year). Now why should that vast number want to come to Bradford at the moment?

The Odeon Cinema building, that most residents wish to be retained and refurbished, has been allowed to rot by Yorkshire Forward. Considering its position adjacent to the marvellous Alhambra Theatre, why has the council not insisted that it be kept in good order? Is this because they can then justify its demolition and replacement by a structure that very few wish to see?

Forster Square is a national joke that should never have been allowed to reach its current shambolic state.

It would help if Bradford Council and Yorkshire Forward properly engaged with the local population to find out what they want to see for their city. Instead, these organisations plough their own furrow to the total disregard of those who, directly or otherwise, pay their wages. It is a scandalous situation that really does need thoroughly investigating.

From: Bob Watson, Baildon.

From: Mrs Maisie Hibbert, Fairmouth Park, Shipley.

I WRITE in agreement with all Douglas Hartley has to say (Yorkshire Post, March 16) regarding the centre of Bradford.

What is needed is more shops to encourage visitors from the surrounding towns. I can well remember Browns, Muffs, Busbys, Parkinson & Clark, Novellos – I could go on. This idea of lawns and ponds is ridiculous. Could not the powers that be consider a new concert hall? St George's Hall is old fashioned, there is no lift and the seating is most uncomfortable. To squander 45m on City Park is scandalous.

From: D Yates, Doncaster.

I NOTE with much sympathy Mrs June Wolfe's comments (Yorkshire Post, March 12) that she can no longer love her birthplace, Bradford, until the day she dies.

Well, don't despair my friend. Regeneration Bradford (in its death throes), Bradford Council (regrettably not in its death throes), Yorkshire Forward (going backwards on this subject) and sundry other organisations have generously banded together – with your money – to beautify the city centre with a glorious... muddy puddle.

On second thoughts, I hope that thought doesn't make things worse for you, Mrs Wolfe. I apologise if it does.

But maybe – just maybe – can we hope that these organisations might have got their heads out of the sand and read, on the same page, as Mrs Wolfe's letter, that day's editorial about the proposed high speed railway lines which would include the Yorkshire cities of Sheffield and Leeds – but not Bradford.

Could there be any hope that these organisations, which supposedly look after Bradford's interests, have ever actually looked at Bradford's city centre and, across the dereliction, noticed that its only rail

services are by two dead-end minor branch lines – totally unsuited to the modern high speed world?

The sole good thing about them is that they provide a way out of the city's devastation and desolation.

The city cries out for the dead-ends to be connected by a new through Central Transport Interchange, to replace the decrepit dead-ends with facilities modern enough to accommodate the 21st century high speed world in which Bradford needs to become a major player – if it is not to die by rotting from the centre, in muddy puddles.

Rail users just want good services

From: G Cross, Ripon, North Yorkshire.

I DO not expect to be around when all these proposed new railway lines and speedier trains come into service but would like to leave this protest note if they ever do.

Those old enough to recall the Lord Beeching fiasco, now more than 50 years ago, will I feel sure, share my fear that yet another hapless peer is now suggesting we spend a fortune on something we could well manage without.

Dr Beeching failed to acknowledge that people not profit are what railways are about and Lord Adonis is falling into the same trap by trying to please a rich minority rather than invest money that would benefit the general public. Who really cares if the carriages tilt and it takes 20 minutes less to reach Leeds?

There is a wonderful hidden irony in the proposal to speed up trains to Leeds and then vaguely state the line will eventually connect up to Newcastle and Scotland. Pre-Beeching, we had just such a line via Harrogate, Ripon and Northallerton which is still much missed by ordinary people if not by rich tycoons.

Could someone please persuade Lord Adonis to leave speed to the French and Japanese and spend money to get more people from more

As to more Bs at a reasonable price.

From: J Thomas, Strait Lane, Huby, near Leeds.

FURTHER to your report (Yorkshire Post, March 15) regarding inadequate rail routes to Harrogate, I would agree in part, but the reality of the situation has to be faced.

The Harrogate-York route is blighted by level crossings, two single track sections of seven miles and four miles and a double crossover of the main East Coast Main Line at Skelton Junction to the north of York.

To double 11 miles of track, modify the junction and convert level crossings to automatic status would cost untold millions of pounds and is unlikely to see the light of day in the current climate.

I feel a more realistic approach would be to add additional coaches to existing trains with possibly an extra train in the morning and evening peak hours on the Harrogate-York section.

What is needed is more front line effort and less talk.

From: Dennis Whitaker, Baildon, Shipley.

IN any given conflict, it is necessary to listen to both sides before making a judgment. However, in the case of RD Wolstenholme (Yorkshire Post, March 16), it seems a derailed train caused his or her travel arrangements to be altered.

Under these circumstances, it is logical that any railway employee and especially inspectors would feel obliged to ensure passengers arrived at their destination with as little inconvenience as possible.

Clearly, the majority of railway personnel used their heads but for one person to state, "no exceptions under any circumstances", begs the question, which planet does he or she live on?

The very high cost of litigation, which is where this could end, also begs the question, is this inspector suitable for such high office?

Hypocrisy over adoption

From: Brian Sheridan, Redmires Road, Sheffield.

I WAS astonished to learn of the existence of Regulation 18 of the 2007 Equality Act; that is the rider which prevents gay charities from being sued for discriminating against heterosexual couples ("Charity wins gay adoption case" Yorkshire Post, March 18).

Catholic Care were bound to seize on this loophole which exposes gays who oppose the Catholic charity's refusal to place children with

homosexual couples to charges of hypocrisy. We now have a situation where gays are allowed to discriminate against heterosexuals and religious groups are allowed to discriminate against homosexuals.

However, gay charities must have been aware of the regulation and by acquiescing to it they have scored a dreadful own goal. Sadly, the gay community still has enough to put up with without making an enemy of itself.

Secularists and Humanists who rail against Catholic bigotry no longer have a leg to stand on. Regulation 18 must be scrapped, Catholic Care should be taken back to court and, hopefully, discrimination by religious groups will be unconditionally outlawed.

British haulage businesses have hard road to follow

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

IF we must have political interference, then surely we can hope for a level playing field. Most of the time this is not possible as many factors differ from case to case. The worst case scenario is when a particular party/group positively suffers.

Take just one example. I recently met someone in the haulage business who is now down to one cab and trailer from a small fleet of five. He is now fighting to survive. How come? Well, consider the following:

n Fuel costs, which were already much higher than his foreign competitors, are to be made worse by a further tax increase in April.

n Britain is a small island so delivery by foreign wagons with large fuel tanks means they don't refuel here and thus gain an advantage.

n If this gentleman delivers in Belgium, for example, he is legally required to stop at the first garage and purchase a road fund tax certificate for a fixed amount per day he is in the country. If the same applied in reverse, ie, Britain levelled the same charge to all foreign hauliers, then may be our lads could be more competitive and more British jobs saved.

n The very limited presence of customs, police and security for incoming wagons is supposedly eye-opening and this is at Dover Docks.

I am not advocating protectionism but please stop shovelling night soil on to the British hauliers.

Let's enjoy the start of spring

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

THE article concerning British strawberries (Yorkshire Post, March 18) heralding the signs of summer made me wonder why the signs of spring (the first wild primroses that I spotted last week, the lambs and the daffodils just showing some colour) cannot be enjoyed before thoughts of strawberries and cream come to mind?

The worst weather of winter is over, please allow spring to gladden the heart without wishing time away. I have yet to see swallows – a sure sign of summer.

As the wind is still blowing cold at Queensbury – 1,200 feet above sea level – I shall enjoy springtime outdoors warmly wrapped and will not be wearing my summer clothes just yet nor eating out of season strawberries.

Good lords

From: Jon Marcus, Colville Gardens, Lightwater, Surrey.

WHAT an excellent article on the House of Lords by Godfrey Bloom (Yorkshire Post, March 15). He overwhelmingly makes the case to restore the hereditary system which, as he says, has evolved over nearly 800 years and stood the test of time.

Much better to have well-educated, independently-minded members with a "very much higher sense of stewardship of the nation's well being" than all the political cronies now packing the Lords.

It is just one more example of the destruction caused to this country by Tony Blair, who, in terms of damage to the nation, is the worst Prime Minister in history.