Why over-75s still deserve free TV licence from BBC – Yorkshire Post letters

KEITH Sturdy, a pensioner, tells us that he won’t need the free (over 75) TV licence when he qualifies for it in a few years time (The Yorkshire Post, June 17). Very commendable and so praiseworthy that he feels that if some over-75s can afford it, then they should pay for it.

A betrayal if fD_Day heroes have to pay TV licence fee – Yorkshire Post letters

I can tell him that I qualify for it and I could afford it, but I will gratefully take it with thanks as a response to the BBC’s smug, complacent attitude to licence-payers, its excessive pay to presenters and celebrities and recent tax changes which mean I now have to pay more tax.

So now perhaps Mr. Sturdy will now reveal to us that he also refuses to tick the “over 60s” box on his NHS prescriptions and pays the £9 per item charge? Similarly, does he refuse (and return) his annual winter fuel payment for the same reason? Will he refuse the discount for senior citizens from numerous businesses like Specsavers?

There are hundreds of thousands of people that are illegally scamming and defrauding both the local and national tax systems, and there is no reason for anyone to be pilloried for accepting that to which they are entitled.

Let modern drivers speed

From: Peter Horton, Member, Alliance of British Drivers, Sandy Lane, Ripon.

YOUR report “Dozens clocked speeding more than 10 times” does not tell us where these offences occurred, perhaps on motorways, on A-roads or in towns (The Yorkshire Post, June 17).

The vast majority of drivers have spent substantial sums on buying, running and maintaining their vehicles and are anxious to avoid accidents at all costs, and therefore drive according to the road and the conditions. But this is not good enough for the speed-obsessed establishment who set limits which are quite unrealistic for modern traffic. This is clearly demonstrated by the number of prosecutions for infringing a limit on a sign.

One spokesman said that speeding drivers put everyone on the road in grave danger, and my response is that this is emotive nonsense because “speeding” may just involve doing a little above a number posted on a sign, but may not be dangerous in any way.

It seems that it is acceptable for police officers to drive high-powered cars at incredible speeds to catch errant drivers because they claim to be highly-trained young drivers, but no allowance is made for other drivers who may have many more years of experience and accident-free records.

The whole issue of speed limits needs to be taken out of the hands of local councils and transport ministers and totally re-assessed by an independent body that includes experienced road-users.

From: Graham Carter, Cropton, Pickering.

WHILST I share the concern of John G Davies (The Yorkshire Post, June 15) regarding motorists ignoring warning signs, I would like to point out that signs placed at the roadsde by various official bodies tend to be left in situ long after the event, thereby falling into disrepute with the result that motorists then question/disregard them.

One only has to drive around this locality to find signs warning of ice, floods, roadworks which have been left in situ by the relevant highways authority or their agents for the past 12 months. Motorists naturally then begin to question the validity of them.

Poor drains risk disaster

From: John Goodman, Grove Close, Beverley.

THERE can be little doubt that the recent heavy rain which fell on Lincolnshire could just as easily have fallen on the East Riding.

There can also be little doubt that the present state of the main drains in the River Hull valley would have caused, or at least greatly, increased flooding. The flow of these main drains is restricted by at least 50 per cent.

I suggest the residents living along the valley go and look at the condition of the main drains. Flooding is not inevitable, but the maintenance conditions make it highly probable.

We should back Trump

From: Mr PL Taylor, Milner Street, Lockwood, Huddersfield.

LET us make sure that all our allies give Donald Trump our fullest support.

He is a bastion of support to all democratic countries, and he will never wilt in his determination to deter any enemies from attempting to endanger the freedom of all of we/us like-minded poeple.

From: Brian H Sheridan, Lodge Moor, Sheffield.

THE Queen’s apparent affinity with “straight-talking” Donald Trump should not appear remarkable to Janet Berry (The Yorkshire Post, June 14). She has lived with the Duke of Edinburgh for over 70 years.

Green not fit to be knight

From: Shaun Kavanagh, Leeds.

MANY people will no doubt be fed-up of hearing about the antics of those who bring public life into disrepute. The latest who comes to mind is Philip Green, purposely not referred to here as Sir as he appears totally unworthy of such recognition.

As for his knighthood, many have suggested it be withdrawn, a move which should have occurred yesterday, not tomorrow, thereby showing him the disrespect he rightly deserves.

The man comes across as a deceitful, disrespectful individual, and totally unworthy of being a member of the same “club” as those deserving the title of “Sir”.