YP Letters: Fracking '“ and a tale of two planning applications

CAN Government Minister Claire Perry really believe that planning changes for oil and gas exploration won’t loosen regulation of the industry? (Minister says fracking plans not designed to loosen regulations, The Yorkshire Post, May 21).

Consider this tale of two planning applications. In May last year, Rotherham Council received a planning application from the chemical giant Ineos for an exploration well near Harthill to search for shale gas. It involved drilling a vertical well to 2,800m underground on a site of nearly 1.5 hectares, with up to 60 heavy goods vehicles a day for up to eight months, and considerable drilling noise.

The other application was to replace asbestos walls in a 1960s junior school with better, safer walls and double-glazed windows. Both required planning permission yet, under the Government’s proposals, one of these would no longer have to go through the planning process.

Guess which one?

This is a perversion of the planning system. The Government is pushing through a deeply unpopular and risky industry, leaving the wreckage of local democracy in its wake.

Naive on the cost of Brexit

From: Ken Cooke, Ilkley.

BREXITEERS like Shaun Kavanagh (The Yorkshire Post, May 23) are exceedingly naïve on two topics (amongst others): the cost to Britain of EU membership and international trade.

If Mr Kavanagh were to read his income tax return from HMRC and see the useful pie-chart, he would find that the EU contribution for the average wage earner is in the region of £15 to £30 a year. He calls this ‘bleeding the UK’. It is worth about four fish ‘n’ chip take-aways.

The Bank of England stated this week that the uncertainty of Brexit is already costing the average family £900 a year.

Mr Kavanagh then innocently asserts that “allegiance will be shown to the UK going forward by way of trading agreements etc”. Doesn’t he appreciate that we have an excellent trading agreement already in place with the world’s largest single market? It’s called the EU.

Brexiteers, including Brexit Ministers, I have to say, have no understanding of what free trade entails. Well, it is the same as internal UK trade. We can sell and buy goods and services between Yorkshire and other parts of the kingdom without tariffs or customs checks.

The head of HMRC has now estimated that the latest ‘max fac’ customs proposal would cost British firms £20bn per year. Compare that with four fish ‘n chip take-aways.

Call that a motorway?

From: David Blackburn, Ilkley.

A NUMBER of articles have appeared in The Yorkshire Post culminating in the item headlined ‘Motorway is now open all the way between Newcastle and London’ (The Yorkshire Post, May 18), all of which have been inaccurate.

The length of the A1 from Ferrybridge South to north Doncaster and the length south of Doncaster past Newark are certainly not designated as ‘motorway’. South of Ferrybridge, the A1 is not even grade-separated, with many dangerous junctions and, as far as I know, no plans exist to improve it.

It is time for the Highways Agency, to issue a more accurate statement and apologise.

Fare rises hit the poorest

From: Coun Tim Mickleburgh (Lab), Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.

DAVE Croucher writes (The Yorkshire Post, May 24) of poorer drivers being forced off the roads due to increased costs, the latest being the new MoT test.

Yet the real impoverished in this country can’t afford to run a car, and have to rely on buses and trains. Fares here constantly rise above the inflation rate, whereas the cost of motoring has fallen in real terms, with all governments postponing fuel duty increases.

Train blame game a joke

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield.

FOR Chris Grayling (The Yorkshire Post, May 24) to blame British Rail for the appalling state of Northern trains is a joke as they have been out of business for 21 years. For Labour to criticise the Conservatives is equally a joke as they had a substantial term in power and could have done something about the dreadful Pacer

trains.

School survey is unclear

From: Neil Richardson, Kirkheaton.

WHAT seems unclear from your front page report (The Yorkshire Post, May 23) is whether the grammar school pupils surveyed are unhappy with their education because parents push too hard, rather than the curriculum or school environment.

Real life work experience

From: Henry Cobden, Ilkley.

I REALLY enjoyed last Saturday’s column by Justine Greening (The Yorkshire Post, May 19) on the work ethic – and work experience – as part of her social mobility campaign. I did not know that she began her working life at Morrisons. Can anyone explain why she was sacked as Education Secretary?

Prince praised

From: Andrew Mercer, Guiseley.

THANK you for acknowledging the contribution of the Prince of Wales (The Yorkshire Post, May 30). He’s done an awful lot for charity and the countryside. If only the national media highlighted this good work.