Unfair charge while fares 
go unpaid

REgarding your article and comment on charging for car parking at an increased number of West Yorkshire stations. Before this is even considered, Northern ought to actually collect a greater proportion of fares (Yorkshire Post, February 25).

My wife and I recently travelled from Outwood to Meadowhall and while the conductor did his best to take all fares on the way there, on the return journey we could have travelled for nothing as the conductor never checked any tickets in the part of the train in which we were travelling, as the train was formed of two pacer units (Class 142) with no gangway connection.

Fare evasion is not unusual and has been pointed out to Northern on numerous occasions. The installation of barriers at various stations has not stopped this as a large number of passengers travel between such places as Outwood and Headingley which have no barriers and being near to large stations do not have ticket checks as often as the conductor does not have time to get round the train, particularly at busy periods. Indeed barriers are frequently open outside Monday to Friday daytime hours at various stations

Also endemic is the practice of passengers claiming they got on at the last unmanned station before their destination when challenged by the conductor, for example “I would like a ticket from Shipley to Leeds” when they got on at Keighley.

There is a need to tighten up the whole ticket inspection issue. On the Airedale line in particular, though by no means only on this route, conductors frequently ask “Would anyone like a ticket?” I think we can all guess the answer to that one.

I don’t think that charging for parking will greatly increase Northern’s takings as most people will park elsewhere or worse still attempt to drive to such places as Leeds, greatly increasing traffic problems for those who have no rail service.

Letting the side down

From: John Watson, Hutton Hill, Leyburn.

I WONDER how many of today’s footballers would earn the respect and get a send-off like Sir Tom Finney (Tom Richmond, Yorkhsire Post, February 22). Along with several others of that era – namely, Wilf Mannion, Stanley Matthews and Nat Lofthouse – they would be playing for a pittance. Finney 
and Matthews would dribble Wayne Rooney off the park 
any day.

The whole football set-up is becoming an embarrassment. How can they justify paying one man £300k per week to play one game and, at the same, time making it difficult for a father to take his family to a match because of the price of admission?

Personally I would not be interested in watching my local team if it is full of players from overseas. The game is no longer a sport, it is a business

Roy Keane says it is a myth calling the Premier League the best in the world, judging by recent results (Words of the week, Yorkshire Post, March 1). How right he is.

We try produce a team of English boys to take part in 
the World Cup where we will, once again, be humiliated as we have been in previous tournaments.

If I had my way, I would make it illegal right across the board to play imported players, then we might bring some sense into the game.

Blair’s latest dodgy deal

From: David McKenna, Hall Gardens, Rawcliffe, Goole.

IT was with a feeling of satisfaction that I read (Yorkshire Post, March 1) that Teflon Tony Blair was coming under fire as a result of yet another “dodgy” deal; this time allegedly done with Sinn Fein.

According to reports, when Ian Paisley wrote to Tony Blair asking for assurances that no concessions had been given to Sinn Fein about the so called “on-the-runs”, a deceptive reply was produced which did not make mention of the administrative scheme to send OTRs assurance letters.

Hence, Peter Robinson, Democratic Unionist leader, stated clearly last Wednesday in an emergency meeting at Stormont that Blair “failed to tell most politicians in Northern Ireland (rather: that part of Ireland called ‘The North’) about the deal over runaways”.

So here we are again with Blair being accused; this time of not exactly lying, but of being economical with the truth.

Haven’t we been here before?

Don’t we deserve to know the real truth about “dodgy documents”, lies, damned lies and statistics? Blair ought to face the International Criminal Court for the devastation he caused during his premeirship, and the sooner the better.

Predatory power firms

From: ME Wright, Grove Road, Harrogate.

CONTRARY to your Editorial (Yorkshire Post, March 1), the morality of the “Big Six” energy giants is a commendable example of how unbridled Mammonites work and their frankness is to be applauded. In case there remains any doubt; they exist to serve themselves and their shareholders, and the nation’s homes and businesses are their lawful prey. Any moral strictures should be heaped upon the whole spectrum of politicians who continue to spout pious words, but take no effective action. The recent visit of Chancellor Merkel is a reminder that, some months back, the people of Hamburg voted to take their power supply back under public control.

May we take it that this would be a much-trumpeted “choice” too far for a coalition which is in the pockets of their old school stockbroking chums?

Raise rates to help savers

From: Matthew Shaw, Golcar, Huddersfield.

FIVE years ago, the Bank Of England slashed its interest rate to a record low of 0.5 per cent, great news for spenders and borrowers, not so great for the prudent and the fiscally responsible.

Five years of misery for savers has effectively prevented those with the real money from spending it, while those who live on credit are now burdened with even more personal debt.

Something doesn’t seem right here and the sooner interest rates take a hike upwards, the better. Let’s not forget, there are far more savers than borrowers.