YP Letters: Rail strike will only hurt passengers

NORTHERN Rail is to be hit by three days of strikes in July.

As so often with industrial disputes in the transport sector, those who suffer from this action will not be the RMT’s members nor the rail company. It will be ordinary customers, commuters and the local economy.

I recognise absolutely the right of union members to strike as a last resort. However, I think people would have more sympathy if unions exercised that right more responsibly and sparingly.

The current dispute over driver-only trains is little understood by the public. My guess is that most passengers do not really care who opens and closes the train’s electric doors, so long as it gets them where they need to be.

The strikes are dressed up by the union’s leadership as a passenger safety issue rather than one of self-interest.

In which case they should perhaps ask passengers whether they think matter warrants the three days of misery the strike will bring. I think I know the answer.

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

NORTHERN Rail seems to be determined to stop people coming to Yorkshire viz their planned strike on Great Yorkshire Show days.

Eventually they will have to talk to the employers but, meanwhile, they are severely affecting their passengers. Why can’t they see that such action doesn’t bring them any supporters?

From: James Murphy, Leeds.

THE Northern Rail strike action is indicative of the forces that will be in play if Jeremy Corbyn and the unions are left running the country. You have been warned.

Corbyn’s big giveaway

From: Bryan Burgess, Birch Drive, Willerby.

WELCOME to the Corbyn Lottery – mystic and magic – the prizes are out of this world!

Free university tuition fees, more teachers, more funding for schools, 10,000 more police, free nurseries, free school meals, a million more cheap new houses, more firefighters, £10 minimum wage starting at 16 (I thought children were still at school at this age?), free hospital parking, more funding for the NHS, winter fuel allowance to remain as is the Triple Pension Lock – welcome to the Land of Corbynopia.

But, how is it that the majority of people could be so stupid enough not to vote Labour at the last election? Perhaps it’s because they know that politicians can promise anything when there’s no chance of being elected. And what’s that? Who’s going to pay for it all?

Perhaps we should ask the younger generation. They say that you can only fool some of the people some of the time but it would appear that you can fool the younger generation all of the time.

Oh but I forgot – Labour will plant more money trees, that’s the answer. The last time they were in power, it almost led to the bankruptcy of the nation!

Failings over fire tragedy

From: Robert Bottamley, Thorn Road, Hedon, East Yorkshire.

REGARDING the evacuation of residents in the aftermath of the Grenfell fire, the authorities have insisted that we cannot play Russian roulette with people’s lives.

But isn’t that precisely what successive governments and local authorities have been doing for the past 50 years in respect of fire regulations and their proper application?

Government found wanting frequently relies on a familiar, parroted guarantee that ‘lessons will be learned’ by way of mitigating criticism. All the evidence suggests that lessons are seldom learned. If this is to alter, government organisations – on which members of the public are obliged to depend – need a long-overdue and permanent lesson in humility.

From: Paul Muller, Woodthorpe Gardens, Sandal, Wakefield.

EVERY building with large numbers of people in them must have a sprinkler system in every room.

That is why the fire service recommends a smoke detector in every house.

An inquiry is just a delaying mechanism. Fitting sprinkler systems in all public buildings must start today.

Stumped by poor catering

From: Neil Woodley, Moorlands Avenue, Dewsbury.

YORKSHIRE County Cricket Club has told me they are not able to police or check the quality 
of the fare which is offered at international matches due to their not owning the catering rights at the ground.

As a YCC member, I paid for and attended the ODI at Headingley.

It was an excellent day but somewhat marred by the quality and pricing of the concessions.

My wife brought me a hot dog from them, for £4.20, and I can honestly say it was the worst, most bland, tasteless hot dog I have ever had.

Considering the ingredients probably cost no more than a few pence, a cheap ‘airy’ bun, a sausage with very little meat content and virtually tasteless mustard and onions, I am amazed and disappointed that such rubbish can be sold to customers.

I complained and all I got was a shrug and a ‘go away’ attitude.

Obviously YCC and the concession holders need to 
make money where they can, 
but some sort of quality control 
is needed to avoid customers being fleeced.

Certainly such offerings at other sites, for example Old Trafford and Lord’s, are much better for similar prices.