YP Letters: Rail '˜improvements' between Leeds and Manchester are a sham

From: Simon Barber, Digley Road, Holmbridge, Holmfirth.
Harold Wilson's statue outside Huddersfield Station, but is the town missing out on express rail services?Harold Wilson's statue outside Huddersfield Station, but is the town missing out on express rail services?
Harold Wilson's statue outside Huddersfield Station, but is the town missing out on express rail services?

THERE has been incessant talk about improving train services between Leeds and Manchester. Currently there are five services per hour which will increase to six after May 2018.

However this “improvement” will come at the severe cost to local stopping services between Huddersfield and Manchester.

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Now that TransPennine Express is operating both express and stopping services, it will be reducing stopping services and lengthening current journey times by up to 50 per cent – even though hundreds of thousands of journeys are made on this service. There is potential for severe overcrowding. Meanwhile users of these local services will be paying higher fares for these “improvements”.

I trust that no one, and in particular Transport Secretary Chris Grayling will praise the increased frequency of city to city trains, as it is all a sham.

From: Chris Giddings, Springwood Drive, Halifax.

REFERRING to the letter from GA Hall ‘Steel city has the right idea’ (The Yorkshire Post, December 14), Leeds City Council may well be totally inept in their bid to provide a modern transport system – they have been trying for years while other major cities have overtaken them. I do, however, take issue with the condition of roads in Sheffield, especially as I have had cause to use them a good deal over recent years.

One of the main roads into Sheffield, the Parkway, is in a disgraceful state and certainly not fit for purpose as an arterial road into a modern UK city. A further example which I consider equally as bad is the A61 leaving Sheffield towards Chesterfield. Both roads need urgent attention.

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Let us not boost Sheffield in favour of Leeds. Neither city is perfect. Each has its own problems, mainly starting with the local councils.

Grammar is the servant...

From: Philip Dacre, Manor Drive South, York.

SB Oliver (The Yorkshire Post, December 11) laments the use of plural verbs in such sentences as “None of the passengers were injured” and “only one in ten people know that...” .

However, there are good reasons to pardon this alleged error and spare the lamentations. First, though the grammatical subjects of these sentences are indeed singular pronouns, their actual and only subject-matter is the passengers and people referred to. Secondly, these plural nouns immediately precede the verb, and this too helps to “attract” the verb into its plural form. It is the combined effect of these two factors which, to many ears, makes the ungrammatical version sound more logical than the correct one. Lastly and crucially, whichever verb-form is used, the sense is perfectly clear and cannot possibly mislead.

Grammar is important, but it is the servant, not the master, of language. To apply it with strictness to an expression marginally incorrect, but widely accepted and universally understood, is to cross the dividing line between grammar and mere pedantry.

Firms scrape the barrel

From: Jeff Thomas, Strait Lane, Huby, Leeds.

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YET again the energy producers are taking us all ‘for a ride’, simply because of a cracked pipeline off the Scottish coast (The Yorkshire Post, December 13). Apparently we are told this event has particular significance in global energy markets. Excuse the ‘pun’ but the producers really are ‘scraping the barrel’ – surely a two to three week pipeline closure should not affect prices to such an extent as to raise prices yet even more?

So come on Ofgem and the Government, show your teeth and give us all amuch needed Christmas present!

Toughen up on danger drivers

From: Michael Lowry, Cookridge.

TWICE in a week we have distressing stories of police vehicles being involved in serious attacks on them by the dregs of society. Not only are the cars then off duty for costly repairs, but far more serious are the risks posed to the officers involved. Our police form a vital defence between ordinary citizens, and the unspeakable morons who see fit to endanger life in order to further their own nefarious ends. Given the extent of risks now posed almost as a matter of course to serving officers, it is time the courts reviewed sentencing guidelines and put the people responsible for these heinous crimes away for an equivalent term to that being given to others who ostensibly have attempted murder.

Our police deserve far more than they seem to be getting from those whom they serve.

Tower should be demolished

From: Barry Foster, High Stakesby, Whitby.

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WHAT a sad day it must have been for all those attending the Grenfell Tower memorial service at St Paul’s Cathedral (The Yorkshire Post, December 15).

It was comforting to see members of the Royal Family and politicians offering their support. Is it not time now to demolish this constant reminder to those involved? Families connected must surely experience pain whenever they have to encounter it.

Productivity of MPs rising?

From: Eddie Peart, Broom Crescent, Rotherham.

MPs are to get a salary increase of 1.8 per cent in April 2018, taking their annual pay to £77,379. Can someone tell me how they have increased their productivity in the past year?

There are many workers in Yorkshire who produce more and more each year, but have had no increase in pay.