View from the Underground of city life

REGARDING the new BBC2 series on the London Underground, it is all-embracing, covering the passengers at all times of day up to late evening, then the maintenance gangs on their seemingly endless task of renewing track and signalling, plus the myriad of other tasks required to keep the trains running.

Not least were the platform staff dealing with all manner of unpleasant matters. For instance there are codes for contacting staff. Three is someone needed to clean up vomit, four for urination – or worse. Noticable were the late night trains arriving at their final destination before the depot and the station staff trying to raise drunks to move them off the station premises to an all night bus – if they knew where they lived.

These were in the main not drunken dropouts but professional people. The folk who are running our country.

This brings me on to bonuses. If they must be paid, then the Tube workers are in my view a far more deserving cause.

Cheap booze and MPs

From: ME Wright, Grove Road, Harrogate.

I SEE that the revels in the House of Commons Strangers’ Bar seem to have gone somewhat beyond the usual drunken laddish larks (Yorkshire Post, February 24).

Will David Cameron ensure that this and other taxpayer-subsidised watering holes are included in his crackdown on cheap booze and yobbish behaviour?

From: MJ Thompson, Goodison Boulevard, Doncaster,

ON the subject of MPs fighting in the House of Commons bar, may I suggest an increase in the price of drinks in the bar may stop anti-social behaviour occurring, as this seems to be the solution for the rest of us?

No win, no fee – no justice

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

I CONTINUE to be irritated by the over-abundance of “No Win No Fee” advertising on the television. One shows a man inexplicably falling three feet from a ladder which I can only assume is indicative of the type of case these solicitors will take on.

At first sight I would dismiss the man in question for being incompetent and/or not fit for purpose. Conversation with people in small businesses gives the impression that in many instances it would be cheaper to settle out of court than incur the cost and time spent in fighting the case.

This is not justice and is verging on a result by intimidation. Where is the common sense as applied by TV’s Judge Judy – we are, and we should be, responsible for our own actions. A few court decisions dismissing the trial on the basis of bringing a frivolous claim to court would help to start eradicating this something for nothing compensation culture. A further inducement would be claiming court costs from the instigating solicitors. The recent surge in the number of claims for alleged whiplash is indicative of the new mindset – easy money isn’t it?

Countdown conundrum

From: Mrs C Hird, Mount Drive, Bridlington.

I AGREE with all Tricia Hanson (Yorkshire Post, February 21) had to say about Countdown except that she had the present host’s name wrong.

Jeff Stelling was the previous incumbent and was adequate but I believe he has now returned to sports presenting which was always his first love. Des O’Connor was the only person ever to host the show in the way it should be done after the late, great Richard Whiteley. He was a natural comedian, charismatic and able to converse with all age groups, thus putting everyone at ease. I speak from experience of being a former contestant in that era.

The programme seems to have altered slightly since filming was moved to Manchester from the Leeds studios, which probably accounts for whoever decided to show a view of Blackpool Tower in the opening credits. Akin to showing a view of the Humber Bridge before EastEnders! The same person probably picked Nick Hewer as the new host – if he was the best out of the applicants heaven help the ones who weren’t chosen!

From: Mike and Nan Hough, The Ridings, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire.

IN reply to Tricia Hanson’s letter regarding Countdown. They signed up Nick Hewer and knocked out the fun.