When stations could be built in a day

From: Terry Morrell, Prunus Avenue, Willerby, East Yorkshire.

REGARDING your article (Yorkshire Post, December 2) concerning the delayed station redevelopment at Rotherham (£8.5m) and also the article two days previously covering the Kirkstall Forge and Appleby Bridge stations development (£17.5m), I realise that costs have changed, but before the First World War, several stations were built from scratch, presumably with some previous groundwork, in a single day.

This was long before we had considerable amounts of mechanical equipment and the advantage of ready mixed concrete.

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I believe that both of the late named stations are to be constructed on sites that were previously stations so one would imagine that the land is still available and the road access should be no problem.

Two platforms, waiting shelters, additional signalling and a power supply for platform lighting, what else is required?

How are these colossal sums arrived at? No wonder that the statement quoted is that this would be a “kick-start” to a £350m project. Amazing.

From: Susan M Platt, Knedlington Road, Howden.

MY daughter and son-in-law went to see We Will Rock You at the Grand Theatre in Leeds.

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They had booked the train from Brough although were disappointed to find that the last train home left at 10.25.

This, of course, meant that they had to miss the end of the show.

We are encouraged to make use of our public transport and yet there is no liaising between theatre and train. We saw the show and we dare not tell them how good the finale was.

To add insult to injury, they had to wait 20 minutes while a driver was found.

Bright sparks cut out power

From: David Nash, Scarborough Road, West Heslerton, Malton.

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WE have been advised by the contractors acting on behalf of Northern Powergrid that our electricity supply will be interrupted for up to six hours today. This is to enable them to carry out tree trimming work.

I do, of course, appreciate that such work has to be carried out from time to time to prevent damage to the overhead power lines, but I do not believe that it is a problem that has cropped up overnight.

Trees are comparatively slow growing so I would have thought that with proper foresight and planning this work could have been scheduled for the warmer summer months. Instead local residents will be losing heating and cooking facilities during the colder winter month of December. We cannot decamp to the local public house as that will have to close.

No doubt the bright sparks who planned this work will be sitting in their centrally heated office, enjoying a cup of hot steaming coffee while the like of ourselves will be huddled under blankets to try to keep warm. Not an enjoyable prospect especially for the old and infirm. At least we will have the foresight to make ourselves a flask of tea or coffee to help keep us going while the power is off. The recent words of Jeremy Clarkson come to mind when I think about the people who planned this work.

Absurd plan for boundary

From: Iain Morris, Caroline Street, Saltaire.

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i HAVE received a letter from Marilyn Lister of the office of the Conservative Party co-chairman, on boundary changes.

She says: “The Conservative Party has proposed to the Boundary Commission that Worth Valley should return to Keighley and that there should be a Shipley seat including Baildon.”

All of which I agree with and have written to the Boundary Commission accordingly.

However, the Conservatives make no mention of other changes proposed for Bradford, namely in Bradford East where we would have the absurd situation of a Leeds MP representing a large part of the constituency. Sitting MP David Ward, Liberal Democrat, is voicing his concerns on the effect this would have on Bradford.

Party politics should come second to what is best for the whole of the Bradford Metropolitan District which has one of the fastest growing populations in Britain.