YP Letters: Poor access puts all beach users at risk

AS a borough councillor. I have received many expressions of concern and alarm about the access to the beach in Whitby following the extension of the dog walking ban.

The majority of dog walkers are highly responsible and fully understand the need for certain restrictions.

However, in this case, the restriction would seem to be ill thought out, unwarranted and puts public safety at risk.

I refer to the revised access point to the beach, following the installation of additional beach huts. In order to access the beach, extremely slippery steps have to be navigated, leading to rocks that have been exposed following recent harsh weather.

This is a disaster waiting to happen. How was this decision made? When was it made and who was consulted? I have contacted those responsible for Health and Safety at the council.

For me, it is quite simple. Allow use of the perfectly safe access point or spend money and make the “revised” access point both safe and fit for purpose.

If not, the taxpayer would be at liberty to sue for compensation. I await replies from council officers.

From: Gillian Cope, Golcar, Huddersfield.

AFTER a week spent in Whitby on holiday, I felt compelled to speak out about the terrible access to the beach for dog owners.

I challenge anyone involved in the decision to extend the dog free zone to get safely onto the beach with a toddler, a baby in a buggy and a dog. Oh and a picnic and a sun shade.

Thugs ruin our Riviera

From: A Gibson, Albemarle Crescent, Scarborough.

SOME people call Scarborough the Riviera of the North as the views down on the front are beautiful.

But move back into the town centre, where I live, and it’s a very different story.

I live in a place called Albemarle Crescent.

It should be a lovely town centre retreat but it’s a hotspot for anti-social behaviour, drug-taking alcoholics and work-shy deadbeats whom I am sorry to say seem to be coming more in numbers and making the locals lives here hell.

Just last weekend alone I have had to call the police twice to move drunkards/druggies from the benches in the crescent (which to be fair they have responded and moved them on).

But opposite our MP’s surgery office are two dumped chairs and a fridge blocking off the pavement.

In some of the back streets, the rubbish and filth are turning Scarborough into worse than a Third World country.

Does the council get paid to take all of these low lifes in?

Parents must tackle obesity

From: Jayne Grayson, Sheffield.

TODAY’S news, more kids are obese by the time they start secondary school now. Usual rubbish as to how as a society we can tackle it – don’t put take-aways near schools, make fruit cheaper.

The list goes on. In the old days I could eat, never put a pound on, but those days are a dim and distant memory now. If I think the old jeans are getting a bit tight, I cut back. At my age I have to not eat so much as the pounds pile on.

If kids are getting fatter, surely the parents need to take a hold on the situation? It’s not society’s fault that kids are gorging on junk food. They should be eating fruit and veg and balanced meals. Mum and Dad should see to that at home.

I am lucky, I have a son who loves his five a day, he prefers bowls of strawberries to bars of chocolate. If you start when they are young, it will carry on through their adult life.

Not enough room in UK

From: Mr J Taylor, West Grange Road, Leeds.

FOR years, many words have been written about mass immigration to this small island. In 1945, the population was approximately 58 million. Now it is reaching 70 million and still rising.

We are being warned about over use of water, yet the Government is still telling us we need more houses, a million here, a million there. That means more billions of gallons of water. Where is this magic stuff coming from?

We do not have enough reservoirs and we do not have enough land to grow crops.

Macavity the railway boss

From: ME Wright, Harrogate.

WHAT do you think of Chris Grayling’s letter to Yorkshire MPs (The Yorkshire Post, May 31)?

Many of us have made this clear, long before the latest debacle, but let’s not forget one memorable fact.

Thanks to Tom Richmond, ‘Macavity’ Grayling (who always has an alibi and one or two to spare) has vicariously re-introduced us to TS Eliot.

Credit where due!

Hypocrisy of Labour Party

From: David West, Bay Crescent, Filey.

WHAT hypocrisy of Labour. They create and set up the devolved assemblies and administrations of the UK and then want to over-ride their will on issues like abortion in Northern Ireland.

What would happen if, say Scotland, decides to tighten its abortion laws? Will that be overridden as well? Why have them at all if this is how decision-making works?