Letters to the Editor

We have just had an abandoned car, parked mostly on the pavement of Mytholmes Lane, Haworth.

The Police were first notified three days after its arrival. It then took numerous telephone calls by several residents to both the Police and the Council Cleansing Department, with much passing of the buck, before the vehicle was eventually removed, after three whole weeks. The excuse given was the unavailability of a private contractor.

Incidentally, during this long time, the car (parked on a yellow line and obstructing the pavement) did not even attract a parking ticket, which says something about the enforcement of parking regulations in Haworth.

There is clearly a long way to go before the Police and the Council can claim success in meeting their targets for removal of dumped cars.

A WILLIAMS

South View, Haworth

SIR - All K&DT services were very severely affected on Monday afternoon; staff with 30 years service could not remember a previous occasion where conditions became so bad, so quickly.

Every route which we operate to the west and south of the town has a steep slope on it somewhere, and from approximately 15.00 onwards, buses became trapped on slopes and on narrow estate roads by a combination of the sudden blizzard, no gritting and the extremely heavy car traffic as the afternoon 'school run' combined with workers trying to get home early.

K&DT Duty Managers at the Bus Station dispatched every bus they had out onto the routes, but we reached a situation where we quite simply ran out of buses and drivers and then had to wait until buses returned from the traffic jams which had built up on Oakworth Road and Halifax Road, or were released from the snow and ice on the estates.

Our top priority was the Yellow School Charter buses and we ensured that all schools were covered and that no students were left stranded. Some of the Yellow School buses were up to two and a half hours late, but they did all reach their destinations and we have had many parents ring into thank us for that service.

Even the low-lying valley routes to Bradford and Leeds were badly affected by the sheer volume of traffic which continued to be a problem throughout Tuesday morning. The 07.30 Airedale Shuttle 662 bus to Bradford for example, did not return to Keighley until 11.00.

I want to pay tribute to all the K&DT staff, many of whom voluntarily worked on well beyond their normal shifts to get customers home. There were very many personal acts of dedication - one K&D driver found a customer with learning difficulties very distressed in the Bus Station because he couldn't find his way home, and took him home in his own car.

Duty Managers were hand-gritting the entrance to the Bus Station and parts of Cavendish Street well into the evening in order to keep vehicles moving.

Dave Alexander

K&DT Operations Director

SIR - As a resident of Halifax Road I would like to ask several questions of the council.

When at 2.55 there was an obstruction due to an abandoned van just past Ingrow Bridge, why was it allowed to be left? Why was the corner not gritted?

Why was traffic not contraflowed around it? Within a short while a car and lorry were also abandoned, making a bottle neck that was only passable by one vehicle at a time, using a slushy icy path.

This ensued so that by 3.10 traffic had backed up down to Keighley, and up to Cross Roads. Again no gritting took place, and no traffic control.

The surface water which was unable to flow down the drains added to the ice.

As time passed Halifax Road became an ice rink, and the traffic that had given up trying to get to Keighley turned around and headed back up to Halifax.

But they of course had to navigate an up-hill ice rink which still hadn't been gritted.

Halifax Road eventually cleared after 8.30pm. In the queue were cars, lorries, buses, children, and even an emergency ambulance. Conspicuous by their absence were the police and council.

I realise a gritting wagon would have had difficulty, but this morning little pavement tractors were used. Were these not available last night?

When this happened a few weeks ago in the south we found it amusing as this never happens up here, but is this another example of us following the lead of the southerners instead of setting an example?

michelle corcoran

Halifax Road

SIR - I wish to take issue regarding your article 'Objections to plans cost 10 jobs!'

As an immediate resident of the 'Jubilee Business Park' I would like to see this development proceed in an attractive way which blends in suitably with the surrounding residential area.

I review and present my objections to every planning application on this site. On my inspection of this application 02/03453/FUL, Plot 4, the plans stated that there would be no new employment for the people in the Silsden area and that workers would be brought in.

A statement by Colin Waggett said 'the only reason the application was on the agenda was because of the objection from Silsden Town Council.' Does this mean that the objections of residents are not important enough to be considered for the agenda of the Area Planning Panel?

My most common objections are:-

a) height of buildings above the original planning brief

b) different styles and types of buildings, especially full steel cladding on Plot 4, which will make the whole site unattractive.

As a member of the public I attend most Planning meetings at Silsden Town Hall and in my opinion the Town Councillors work very hard and put in a lot of time trying to look after Silsden and its residents

Is Mr Waggett trying to apply 'Big Brother' tactics to Silsden Town Council which Keighley will not accept from Bradford?

E BOTTOMLEY

Hainsworth Rd, Silsden

SIR - In response to "Ill Conceived". As a parent of children who attend both Our Lady of Victories and Holy Family schools, I agree completely with all Mr Kenealy has to say. I constantly see drivers, risking lives by speeding round the rat run - Highfield Lane, Highfield Road, Redcliffe Street and back on Cartmel Road - often racing one another, even through the night

I remember an incident two years ago when a man was seriously injured by joyriders (that's what they call them) on a Sunday afternoon whilst waiting at a bus stop at the top of Redcliffe Street.

Highfield Road has a slight bend approximately halfway down - near the entrance to the playing fields known as 'Burgess Field.'

Speed humps or restrictions on Highfield Road would be beneficial for lots of reasons including breaking the racing circuit, calming the main school route, safer crossing for any children wishing to use the play area in Burgess field.

Although I have taught my children to cross roads safely, it is evident that not all children are the same.

Should it not be a priority that traffic calming is beneficial to children around schools, and especially around play areas?

Lower down Highfield Lane there are 20mph signs. Aren't all children entitled to the same considerations in the areas where they play and live - not only in SRB areas as it seems?

MRS J ALLEN

Highfield Road

SIR - Re Innovative yoga sessions at Braithwaite Special School.

A handful of lucky pupils at Braithwaite Special School have been given the opportunity to experience yoga, delivered to them by yoga specialist Pat Overend. Pat has been involved in yoga for nearly thirty years now.

Recently the yoga trend has escalated, with its appealing adaptability to suit every individual. Its benefits include relaxation, followed by stretches and opening of the body, controlled breathing and the mental release.

The results of these actions are an inner sense of calmness and love. Some would say it is as important to learn these basics as it is english and maths (even more so for children with disabilities).

There is no competitive element to yoga, it is done for oneself. In all schools yoga would be an innovative form of relaxation and exercise, and I believe it would be a valuable addition to the curriculum.

As a parent of one of Braithwaites's yoga pupils, I would like to thank Pat for conducting the yoga sessions, and Trish Pearson (headteacher), for being open minded enough to allow it. Long may it continue!

ANNA SHEPHERD

Glenhurst Avenue, Keighley

SIR - A new local website hits the internet called Keighley Schools Revisited.

KSR is hoping to become the number one source for information relating to school reunions in our area.

Following on from the success of Friends Reunited, the people behind Greenhead Revisited, another local reunion website, have launched this new site so that local ex-students from Keighley, here and abroad, can get the latest information on past or planned reunions.

The website has a picture gallery, a forum, and a guest book, where visitors can leave their own personal messages or upload pictures to KSR. On KSR you can even discuss or announce any future plans for a school reunion, or find information on old ones.

The website, which launched this week, can be viewed at www.keighleyschoolsrevisited.co.uk

ANDREW HASTIE

SIR - Trevor Lindley's letter of last week (in reply to my previous one) questions alternatives to war with Iraq, but I believe that a majority of British people now consider that a second Gulf War should be the very last option, and then only with the unanimous authorisation of the UN Security Council.

The UN Inspectorate is operational inside Iraq and should be given time and support to complete its mandate of verifying Iraq's compliance to disarmament.

The international community must resist the Bush / Blair ultimatum of 'action within weeks not months' simply because a vast US army is in position, and the Iraqi weather will soon becomes too hot for US troops.

Verification should be linked to the scheduled lifting of crippling UN sanctions on this beleaguered population. Essential medical supplies of drugs and surgical equipment so desperately needed in the hospitals should no longer be embargoed on the pretext that they could be commandeered by the army.

President Bush insists Iraq is concealing large stockpiles of biological and chemical precursors of potential weapon capability, items originally invoiced from the US in the nineteen eighties.

President Bush talks about 'regime change', but it is for the disparate peoples of that country to decide their leader, and the US has reneged on previous pledges of support for the rebellious Northern Kurds, because of pressures from Turkey which does not want a greater Kurdistan.

Another Gulf conflict could throw the whole region into utter turmoil, with countless more civilian casualties and displaced peoples (collateral damage).

Melvyn Harrison,

Kilnsey Fold, Silsden.

SIR - Re Richard Brugger's article at the top of page 4, in last week's issue.

This view of Mill Hey must surely be a studio mock-up of the real thing.

In fact the only similarity between your picture and the real Mill Hey is that there is not a traffic warden or police officer in sight!

This, for the real Mill Hey, means that all the lawless road users in the vicinity take the opportunity to freely park on double yellow lines - making the road, at times, impassable not to mention dangerous.

There is of course no need for this abandonment of the law since the council has provided ample car parking just seconds away in Gas Street.

What I would like to know is what purpose do these double yellow lines serve and, are we ever likely to see their true 'No Parking' meaning enforced?

Meanwhile, pedestrians and other law abiding road users continue to be at risk.

Name and address

Supplied

Editor's note:- We should have made it clear the photograph was from our library.

SIR - Now that the Airedale Centre has been sold to a new company I hope there will be an improvement in the security in the centre.

There are far too many gangs of youths walking around the centre after school with no intention of buying anything but every intention of intimidating members of the public. I have seen on numerous occasions youths abuse members of the public for no apparent reason, my own children have been abused in such a way walking through the centre after finishing school.

I am sure many people would agree that if security was tightened and this behaviour halted it would make Keighley town centre a far more enjoyable and safer experience for both people from Keighley and visitors.

ANGELA STORON

Keighley