Roadside litter is a modern scourge

As a resident of Earby for the past three and a half years, I have really enjoyed exploring the myriad local footpaths and lanes close to my home.

One of my favourite walks is along the back road running round the hill above Earby and runs down into Stoney Bank Road. The views from this lane are stunning in all directions, until you happen to glance down at the verges and then, even worse, the picnic site area, where there are two bins surrounded by rubbish left everywhere but inside them.

For more than a year now I have been clearing the verges and roadside moorland of the detritus of the "throw it out of the car window" society along the whole length of this lovely road, about once a month in the winter, and nearly every week for the rest of the year.

Most of the litter consists of beer cans, spirit bottles, cigarette boxes, crisps/sweet packets, paper bags from local pie and cake shops, and many fast food containers, with which I often fill two or three bin bags during one walk. Occasionally there are bigger things such as car wheel trims and broken wing mirrors. I usually have to leave a bag at some point as it becomes too heavy to carry, so when I get home I drive back up to collect the bag and bring it back to our dustbin.

The three piece suite and carpets that last year someone thoughtfully manhandled over and through the stone wall of the picnic site into the adjoining field however proved too much for me and my bin bag. The furniture eventually went after a phone call to the council, but the carpets are still there.

I always enjoy the walk, the exercise, and the views, but I started the litter-collecting because I could not bear the sight of all that rubbish despoiling the lovely scenery. Every time I do this walk I know there will be something else thrown out by ignorant and uncaring people, who will only compound this disgusting habit by passing it on to their own children. I find it hard to leave litter lying anywhere, but there is only so much one person can do to try to keep this area clean and free of discarded rubbish.

Despite the strange looks from people in passing cars, I shall continue to clear this road of litter because I care about it, as I hope the others mentioned in the papers will do for their special places.

It's a poor reflection on our society when those of us who really do care feel they have to resort to clearing up after those who seem oblivious to the filth and mess around them.

And by the way, whoever the Orbit chewing gum fan is who drops the wrappers all along the road on a regular basis, could you please start putting them in your pocket to throw away when you get home?

Tessa Bird,

Beckside,

Water Street, Earby.

SIR - I read in your newspaper, hear on the street, in the buses and around, complaints about the traffic calming in Keighley Road.

Do the people who complain and foretell dire consequences stop to think, just for even a moment, about the people, cars, walls and street lamps that have been hit by vehicles that have speeded round the corner and lost control or were unable to stop?

Someone told me recently that a young man had been killed in one of these accidents, not so very long ago, on the same bend.

People live along this road, young people cross to the playing field, and to go to school. Older people don't all have cars and must cross the road to catch the bus. If there is trouble in the future it will be because of the traffic, not the people who needed the traffic calming.

Now at least we have more chance of a safe crossing, so to people who complain, I say, slow down if you're driving, find out the facts if you're fast talking, please drive safely and carefully, especially round corners (read the signs). Thank you.

Mrs J Longstaff

Alexandra Ville, Skipton.

SIR - I am writing to you to complain about the road by the Dog and Gun (near Glusburn).

One sunny Thursday evening in April at approximately 6.30pm, me, mum, dad and my brother decided to go to the Dog and Gun. We sat outside because it was warm.

While we were there, cars were going very fast and overtaking each other.

I was thinking at the time that there was going to be a crash! People looked to be doing at least 50-60mph going into Glusburn, passing through a 30mph sign!

Soon there will be a crash and someone will be killed. I think something needs to be done. Why not put speed cameras up or lower the speed limit?

Hannah Cummins (aged 12)

Garden Close, Glusburn.

SIR - As we all open the Craven Herald today, our local councillors will be congratulating themselves on being elected or re-elected to the council.

Let's hope that the new council stops the political in-fighting, gets off the fence (they should be ashamed of past performance) and all work together to improve Skipton and attract more tourists to the town as follows:

1 Clean up widespread litter and graffiti (what happened to local roadsweepers?)

2 Sort out the traffic chaos, ie provide park and ride "fringe" parking, ban lorries from the town centre, pedestrianise the High Street every weekend, install new pelican crossings opposite Whitakers chocolate shop and Woolworths, remove the new traffic lights on Keighley road (no more traffic calming please!).

3 Tackle the ongoing dog dirt problem (the canal towpath and Aireville Park are disgusting). Dog bins and "educating the public" have failed. Why not have signs saying 'No Dogs' as in Spanish tourist areas? Give the Dog Warden real power.

4 Visit Keighley and Pateley Bridge and admire their fantastic flower displays, then recreate them in Skipton.

5 Constantly demand improved police activity and patrols in the town centre. Officers are available. Closed circuit television is no substitute for high profile policing.

Remember, we elected you to the council to improve and upgrade Skipton. It's not exactly rocket science. Be brave...just do it!

M Jones,

Victoria Mill, Skipton.

SIR - As the musical director of Silsden Town Brass Band, I am extremely pleased to read of the success of Mr Gregory's professional achievements at the selective boys' grammar school, Ermysted's.

At Silsden Band we have observed similarities with Skipton Brass Band attempting to recruit students in full time education.

After following Skipton Brass Band's progress I consider that surely, if high quality brass musicians are in such abundance at Ermysted's and other local schools, why have Mr Gregory and other music teachers (including the music service tutors) not assisted the local bands, in their hour of need?

To this end I believe that Mr Lowes has unwittingly "pointed the finger" in the wrong direction. Perhaps the local schools that are protecting their best interests are the root cause of local community bands being pushed out of the frame?

I myself work as a teacher of languages and music at Prince Henry's in Otley and we actively encourage our music students to participate in both school-based and external music organisations.

I therefore appreciate Mr Gregory's need to satisfy the Ofsted inspectors, with regular presentations of his successful department, however, I envisage little harm in Mr Gregory actively promoting, within his school, the excellent tuition and opportunities within Skipton Brass and the surrounding area's brass bands.

I am sure it would be preferable for the local schools and the community's brass band network to work in harmony.

I compliment Mr Gregory on his achievements and sympathise with Mr Lowes' somewhat blunt statements and, through this letter, I wish to offer our support and assistance to Skipton Brass.

Joanna Kendall,

Silsden Brass Band, Silsden.

SIR - I wrote to clarify some "home truths" about the recent walk-outs from three Skipton secondary schools and finished up receiving some stern "indoctrinations" by Dr Bruce McLeod and Ed Vittery.

These included verbiage as to which political party that I would be voting for in the next General Election.

I prefer to keep my party preferences out of public, primarily due to me taking for sport and other intended character-building activities many youths and in order to try to exercise genuine equality amongst those groups.

However, if "civil disobedience" is to be the way forward and encouraged, then, taking that ideology to its ultimate conclusion, there will not be any need for the next General Election, for mob rule would prevail instead.

And, regarding the comment that my newly portrayed adopted party was planning to cut spending on education? Well, taking the aforementioned "walk-out" fashion to its ultimate conclusion, if there are no kids left in class, then there is not much point in spending any money at all! Now, what did I read about "double standards"?

Meanwhile, I do acknowledge that school children under the age of 18 are not allowed a vote. However, we do have an elected MP who is there to represent all members of the constituency whether you voted for him or otherwise.

I wonder therefore, how many of the portrayed "peace protesters" actually bothered to write to Mr Curry a month or so before the hostilities commenced.

It is no good trying to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted. We learned about that one at primary school. Well, at least those of us who actually stopped in class!

Roger Ingham,

Aldersley Avenue, Skipton.

SIR - There has been a large amount of correspondence recently regarding the use of green lanes in the Yorkshire Dales. It is only right that a few myths and misunderstandings are corrected.

First they came about as everyday roads and thoroughfares of 200 years ago, but after the war their essential use had mostly died out except for access to fields and upland grazing. Ten years ago there was very little use of these lanes for joy riding purposes.

Since then there has been an explosion in "recreational" use. A typical joy rider is generally, but not exclusively, male, 20 to 50 and pumped up with testosterone as the recent physical abuse on tracks has shown. The environmental damage that one person makes in a day to the atmosphere, to the peace and quiet and to the damaged tracks is totally out of proportion to their number.

They may say that walkers too cause erosion. Yes they do but let's get a sense of proportion. Thousands of walkers spend many days in peace and quiet to cause the same erosion that a handful of motors do in just a few minutes.

Many of the "rights of way" are disputed. That essentially means that they are accepted to be footpaths or bridleways but if you and a few supporters write to the local authority, allege that it was once used by a horse and cart (a vehicle) you then make them put a notice in the paper and it then becomes a "road" and fair game for motorbikes and jeeps. You will have seen there is an ever-increasing amount of these notices appearing in the paper.

The local authority cannot ignore these; they are legally bound to "upgrade" these ancient green tracks so that trail motorbikes can use them. Saying that the horse and cart has given a right to joy riding rights on a motorbike or 4x4 is clearly abusing a loophole in the law.

Green-laners, as they are referred to, say they "repair" and maintain some of the tracks. This is a bit misleading as to maintain them they lay stone and hardcore in the worst bits that are now becoming impassable so that they can reach the rest of the green lane. The only way to truly maintain a green short-grassy track is to keep powerful vehicles off it.

A growing trend is that many of the bikes come up from the conurbations of Leeds, Bradford, Manchester etc in the back of vans or on trailers for a day out racing round the Dales.

I spoke to one who had stopped at Ribblehead three weeks ago and was throwing sweet wrappers on the ground as he waited at a gate for his mates. When I challenged him about his behaviour he didn't understand that throwing this litter was wrong. To him the world was a place full of rights but with no responsibilities.

Why do so many of them come up on trailers? Well they tend to be the ones that are competition bikes, not road legal.

That means although the riders are claiming that the track has the same legal status as the A65, they fail to comply, as their bikes must have a valid MOT, tax and insurance. They must also have other things too such as indicators, lights, clean and readable number plates, etc but the invariably do not. Should they have an accident with a walker (which is more likely such is the nature of this mix on tracks) you will have no insurance to claim against when you have lost your income and are in a wheelchair for the rest of your life.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park is entrusted and legally bound to maintain the peace and nature of this very special and very unique environment that most of us cherish. They too have much higher moral obligation to protect the area and need to do whatever is necessary to make it not possible to take motor vehicles off tarmaced roads except for essential use (eg farmers getting to stock, access to your own house, mountain rescue services, etc.).

All peace loving users of the Dales should report every sighting of recreational off-road motor use to the National Park so that they can start to monitor the blights and start to form a meaningful database. Certainly in years to come this abuse of the environment will be stopped; the sooner the better for us, our children and the environment.

Col Neils,

Long Preston