YP Letters: No tourists would visit a fracking field

I WAS delighted to see Ben Barnett’s article (The Yorkshire Post, January 25) extolling the joys of Yorkshire wildlife and environment, but uneasy that he failed to mention the elephant in the room. That ‘elephant’ is fracking.

If, despite the temporary reprieve of Kirby Misperton granted by Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy 
and Industrial Strategy last week, the shale industry does get going at scale, it could turn most of Yorkshire into a gas field. I am greatly surprised that when Brexit is considered by businesses a sufficient cause of uncertainty to hold off investment decisions, our environmentalists are so optimistic about the future of nature tourism.

While I greatly applaud the efforts of those who have worked tirelessly to promote the attractions of our county, I would urge them to seek assurances that this dirty and unnecessary industry will not be allowed to destroy the things that we value.

From: Dave Hansell, Stocksbridge, Sheffield.

AS with the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant, fracking policy represents a poor investment for taxpayers and the country’s energy security.

It diverts investment from the new emerging energy and bio-plastics industries the country will desperately need in the near future, to old, dirty and risky carbon energy technologies at the behest of the corporate lobbyists for special interest groups.

The local impacts here in South Yorkshire include large increases in heavy vehicles from the fracking fields of North Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire up the M1 through Tinsley and Chapletown into Ecclesfield to treat huge quantities of contaminated waste flowback water (incorporating heavy metals and radioactive material) at Ecclesfield treatment plant, and onwards for further treatment at Blackburn Meadows.

From: Linda Lawson, Foston on the Wolds.

PROFIT has, and always, will come before people, the Government will not listen unless we stand up.

I think Yorkshire, from the Government’s point of view, is so far away from London that it and its people are of no consequence. Make up your own minds, but do not sit back and wait.

From: Clare Willis-Burton, Masham.

THANK you so much for your informative coverage of the fracking threat to our beautiful North Yorkshire. My family and I are really grateful to you.

From: Elizabeth Gegios, Foxhill Crescent, Leeds.

I AM sorry that your paper is encouraging the Nimbys who are impeding the very necessary work of fracking. They should be told that they can back off or let the lack of energy lead to blackouts.

We are at risk from Russia – who will undoubtedly threaten to cut off our gas whenever they fancy. Also if they care so much for carbon emissions, we should not buy electricity from France where it is produced from coal. Is this really saving the planet?

Perhaps they would prefer to use candles and burn wood fires... producing lots of smoke.

Whether there is a safety problem of any kind is really moot.

Pointless voiceover

From: Anthony Hopkins, Guiseley.

OVER a period of time watching Michael Portillo’s rail travels on BBC TV has been a most enjoyable and often enlightening experience, being both well-filmed and produced.

The more recent series in 
the UK and USA has adopted the use of a commentator providing us with the most blindingly obvious information that, for example “Michael is waiting on a platform for the train to arrive”, “Michael is getting on to the train”, “Michael is getting off the train”.

A totally demeaning and unnecessary irritation for viewers.

It is time the BBC got its act together, employing people who have a thorough knowledge of good programming techniques, and thus better using licence payers’ funding.

Airport plan misguided

From: Roy Aspinall, George Lane, Notton, Wakefield.

I WAS interested to hear the comments made by the new CEO of Leeds Bradford Airport, Mr David Laws, on how he intends to improve facilities to make the airport the first choice for Yorkshire residents.

I would guess around 75 per cent of travellers using the airport are taking flights to holiday destinations, and yet Mr Laws proposes to open a new business lounge.

Mr Laws should concentrate on making the airport user-friendly for the bulk of its passengers. As it is, from the moment you arrive at the airport to the moment you leave, you are treated like second-class citizens.

The only reason people use LBA is because it is convenient. I look forward to the day when Doncaster becomes the main Yorkshire airport.

Boris would do better job

From: R Hartley, Shadwell Lane, Leeds.

ANDREW Mercer’s opinion is that it is a good thing that Boris Johnson is not the Prime Minister (The Yorkshire Post, January 27).

Were Boris PM, we wouldn’t be in the current mess with un-elected bureaucrats doing their best to extort huge sums of money to penalise us for our extraordinary wish to rule our own country. Neither would it be – in effect – another hung Parliament. Nor would Phillip Hammond be allowed to undermine the efforts of the pro-Brexit MPs.