YP Letters: Battle for rail line a lesson for bank fight

THIRTY years ago local groups fought to save the Settle-Carlisle Railway Line. They did this against the odds (Judith Mason, The Yorkshire Post, April 15).

There were three prongs to the successful campaign: A joint councils group with councillors and officers liaising with MPs; a Joint Action Committee including the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line; a Business Liaison Group led energetically by Mrs Ruth Annison of the Rope Factory in Hawes.

The Lloyds Bank closure in Settle will hit 40 businesses alone. The notice given for closure is too short. The early closure date will make it virtually impossible for anyone to complain to the Financial Services Ombudsman on the grounds of discrimination against the elderly, or business problems.

There are alternative solutions. The best is for the banks to come together in some form of joint hub. It may be unrealistic to expect four separate banks to have individual branches in small towns.

A decision by one bank affects others. Lloyds does not have a cashpoint – but during opening hours customers can withdraw cash. NatWest does have one – a very user-friendly feature.

When these banks close it will put extra pressure on Barclays and HSBC (and The Co-Op if it survives).

Neither Barclays nor HSBC will be keen to take on extra costs and will either withdraw the facility completely or charge me for its use. The idea that I will have to travel to Lancaster or stash money under my mattress does not appeal.

If branch costs do have to come down, why not close a branch or two in Leeds, Manchester or London where alternatives are readily available? Don’t kill off the rural community.

I grew up in an age where bank managers taught you to be prudent. The banks need to pause the closures to give customers time to complain; reflect on what has been said and listen. Unite with other banks to work out a decent solution.

Fracking is a moral issue

From: David Cragg-James, Stonegrave, York.

THE real difference between the standpoint of the frackers and the anti-frackers is indeed a moral one.

The prime motivation of the former is of course profit – profit realisable by persuading compliant and complicit government, in the face of massive indications to the contrary, that its energy needs are best supplied by actions clearly at odds with the future of the planet.

Morality? Those sincerely opposed to fracking, not driven by but driving the renewable energy lobby, are engaged in a moral crusade in that there is little interest in personal gain other than survival for the planet and their own and others’ children.

We have understood that the planet is not ours to plunder and that we hold it in trust for future generations. There is nothing wrong with supporting industry, nor is there any wrong in industry attempting to create a profit, but when industry persists in silencing opposition to massively polluting activity, then it really is time to look at what industry and its lackeys are up to.

Shock attack on the poor

From: Bob Holland, Skipton Road, Cononley, Keighley.

THE shocking reduction in incomes for working families, which started last week, are predicted to increase the number of children of working parents in poverty. As inflation rises – especially in food and energy – child benefits are frozen. Benefit cuts for disabled add to cruelty and injustice.

Theresa May spends more in the South than the North – flood relief and Crossrail being two examples. Her Easter claim to lead a more united country is pure hypocrisy.

Rethink guns for the police

From: Michael Lowry, Cookridge, Leeds.

SHAUN Kavanagh (The Yorkshire Post, April 17) raises concerns over whether all police officers should be armed.

As a young soldier with absolutely no experience, I was trained in the use of a range of firearms and would say that my level of ‘suitability’ at that time was not equal to most serving police officers, but I was trusted with seriously powerful weapons.

We need to rethink the issues and consider why police need firearms, especially in today’s climate of escalating weapon-use by criminals whose mindset might be less than charitable towards the officers on whom we rely for our safety; they too need to be protected.

Queen doesn’t need coddling

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield.

WHILE I could agree with Peter J Teal (The Yorkshire Post, April 18) when he says the Queen should consider wearing a hard hat while out riding her horse, I am inclined to think that we are becoming a nation of molly-coddlers.

We want to wrap everybody in cotton wool to protect against every eventuality.

Methinks if the Queen can’t do as she wishes, then it is going a step or two too far.

Lovely time

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

WE went to Ripon Cathedral over the Easter weekend and we delighted to find that it was a lovely experience – and no charge. This was amazing – we normally have to admire the outside of our cathedrals as we can’t afford the upwards of £15 which is usually charged.