YP Letters: Stonehenge cash could dual the A64

I REFER to the Government’s decision to place the A303 going past Stonehenge into a tunnel at a cost upwards of £1.6bn to preserve the peace and tranquillity of the historic site.

For this money, the A64 could be dualled all the way from York to Scarborough. The peace, tranquillity and health of thousands of people would have benefitted on a daily basis as villages along the route were bypassed.

It is no surprise that Scarborough is in the top 10 UK towns for bankruptcy with the current chronic transport links it suffers.

What a shame the councils along the route haven’t got English Heritage fighting their corner.

The A64 issue is a national disgrace and politicians should hang their heads in shame over the lack of investment in it.

Imagine the alternative...

From: Alan Chapman, Beck Lane, Bingley.

THANK goodness there is a Shadow Cabinet ready willing and very able to take over 
from the Conservative Government!

“Unqualified disasters”, claims Terry Maunder (The Yorkshire Post, September 9), in regard to four of the leading members of the Conservative Government: Jeremy Hunt (Health), Philip Hammond (Treasury), Amber Rudd (Home Office) and Davis Davis (Brexit).

Doubtless in his next letter, he will tell us of the outstanding qualifications, relative experience and reliability of Jeremy Corbyn’s cronies who fill the Shadow Cabinet slots opposite of those on his list of delinquents.

Languages widen world

From: Mrs S M Abbott, Melbourne Road, Wakefield.

OH how right you are DS Boyes (The Yorkshire Post, September 12) about being able to speak a foreign language.

Being bilingual myself, I cannot stress how this has benefitted me both in the workplace, having previously worked for a German company, and on visits and holidays. You experience so much more than when being a normal tourist.

Many friends have also been made through belonging to a twinning group both here and in Germany for over 20 years now.

We recently had friends over from Germany who brought their 12-year-old granddaughter. She has been learning English now for six years, which is quite common in Germany.

Three of our grandchildren are leaning European languages at the moment, German, French and Spanish. I hope they will find these as useful as I have in the past, and still do!

Bill officials over scandal

From: Ged Dempsey, Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham.

RE the inquiry into Rotherham Council’s grooming scandal – and the utter contempt of those officials and councillors who refused to co-operate or be interviewed. They show no remorse for their failures and sheer incompetence.

Why should the public pay for their gross negligence and the costs that will impact further on the cuts to local services and jobs? To focus their minds, perhaps the councillors, past and present from the period in question, should be forced to pay for all the inquiries and investigations from their own pockets.

Miners’ snap judgement

From: John Scott, Guiseley, Leeds.

REGARDING previous correspondence about food being referred to as ‘snap’. I was brought up in Carcroft near Doncaster and the local colliery was Bullcroft Main.

My understanding of the origin of ‘snap’ is that it derives from the metal tin which the miners carried their sandwiches in when they went underground.

The tin was in two halves and one half was filled with food and the other, which was slightly bigger, covered the food and a metal arm ‘snapped’ the two firmly together.

This was to make sure that the miner had his sandwiches to eat at break time and not the mice. If food was taken underground wrapped only in paper, regardless of where it was hidden, the mice would get there first.

Mission to Earth

From: Arthur Quarmby, Mill Moor Road, Meltham.

PROFESSOR Stephen Hawking advises humanity to start looking for another suitable planet to which to move, when we have finally screwed up this one. So that we can just go on and screw up that one in turn?

The easy way out I suppose, but how much better to learn how to protect, preserve and restore the earth? Too much to ask of humanity, I suppose?

Strictly Tony

From: Hilary Andrews, Leeds.

TONY Blair (The Yorkshire Post, September 11) really loves to be in the limelight, doesn’t he?

Why don’t the BBC offer him a spot on Strictly Come Dancing? He could have weekly viewings.

It would keep him from pronouncing on Brexit – and he does have the fake tan already.

Tax and spend

From: David Collins, Scissett.

I HAVE no objection to rises being given to public sector workers as many have been hard done by. However I expect Government ministers to now say which taxes are going to rise to pay for it.