Letters to the Editor

Quite rightly he's asking your readers to lobby as strongly as possible against the proposed amalgamation, or even disbandment of the regiment, which has such powerful links with Keighley and the Craven area.

In my view it's a pity that regional connections with battalions like "The Dukes" don't appear to matter to those in charge of defence policy as much as they once did.

I believe that General Sir Mike Jackson, KCB CBE DSO ADC Gen, Chief of the General Staff, who must be aware of these proposed changes, has a background with The Parachute Regiment, whose famous battalions are principally identified by numbers only. The Duke of Wellington's Regiment has carried "West Riding" somewhere in it's title since well before both my grandfathers, from Craven, served with The Dukes, in Belgium, France, and Italy in 1916-1918.

If it's true that The Dukes has the best recent battalion recruitment record of the army, then it's doubly sad that this, a proud northern regiment, is under threat.

Incidentally, you indicated in the two stories about army cadets on page 4 last week that they had no connections with the regular or Territorial Army -- yet all the cadets in both stories were wearing the cap badge of, if the policy-makers have their way, the soon to disappear Duke of Wellington's Regiment.

Patrick Hargreaves

Glusburn

Sir - I note that the second of third choice Tory prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Keighley inaugurated his letter writing campaign in last week's Keighley News.

Isn't it strange how his sudden interest in matters affecting Keighley seem to have coincided with his selection.

I wonder what opportunist bandwagon he is planning to join this week?

Ann Sheikh

Far Slack House Farm,

Stanbury

Sir - I reply to the comments made by Trevor Lindley in last weeks letters to the editor, in which he seems to think that there is some kind of agenda on the cards.

I think Mr Lindley has become a little confused here over our party's commitment to the people of Keighley and the work we intend to do to make this town a safer place to live.

As a committed reader of this newspaper, I see Mr Lindley makes regular inaccurate comments, which confirms he is very confused over our party's intentions.

Without a lengthy letter of explanation to his comments, I invite Mr Lindley to make arrangements to meet our party so we can discuss his concerns and give him an insight into why the BNP has become a people's party.

You never know Mr Lindley you may even become our next candidate for the 2006 elections, stranger things have happened.

CLLR CHRIS KIRBY

Shann Lane,

Blackhill, Keighley

SIR - Councillor King, chairman of the WYPTA, refers to the current uncertain climate within the rail industry and the Government's determination to control rising costs, which is causing delays to enhancements of the local rail network.

Metro's document, "Rail Plan 5", aspires to reopen five stations in West Yorks, in the short term, including Glasshoughton, on the Pontefract line, which will be opened next year, although timetabled for an opening in September, 2004.

Other stations include Low Moor, on the Calderdale line, where work has been delayed until funding is secured, and Apperley Bridge, on the Airedale line, where a site has not yet been confirmed.

For rail patronage to increase it is important that the station reopening programme is resumed as soon as possible, as well as line reopenings, such as the Spen Valley Line and reinstating Otley on the rail network.

The region also requires a Cross-Bradford Rail Link, which would connect the northern with the southern network, via Bradford City centre, and would allow continuous journeys from Skipton and Ilkley to Manchester, Huddersfield and Sheffield.

Cllr King is correct to realise that buses are less effective than light and heavy rail in encouraging private motorists to travel by public transport. Therefore, it is important that in addition to further investment in traditional rail, light rail is installed in Bradford and outer areas, either as an extension of Leeds supertram or as a separate initiative.

Light rail, involving steel-wheeled electric cars running on steel track, enjoys several advantages over rubber tyre-based systems, such as guided or electric buses. It has been shown that where light rail has been installed, motorists have been prepared to use the service but who would not have made the equivalent journey by bus. Light rail uses up to 80 per cent less energy than buses as it encounters less surface friction.

Light rail is often segregated from other vehicles and is therefore more reliable on congested roads.

Once a light rail system is installed, together with the necessary investment in traditional rail, patronage on public transport would increase greatly in West Yorks.

Alec Suchi

Secretary,

Bradford Rail User's Group,

Allerton Road,

Bradford

SIR - Low Street is totally unsuitable and potentially dangerous if it is to be used as a designated parking space for the disabled and for pedestrians.

The problem of providing sufficient and suitable parking spaces for registered disabled members of the community will not be solved by papering over the cracks with schemes such as flattening the grassy mound on Church Green.

A disabled driver or a driver responsible for the welfare of a disabled passenger needs: space to allow wheelchairs, appliances and the passengers to be taken out of the car and, even pavements and well placed drop kerbs.

The Keighley Town Centre Management should look at the parking arrangements made by Sainsbury, Morrisons and Aldi supermarkets for their disabled customers and see what can be achieved.

Draconian measures may be needed to provide adequate parking spaces for the 1,224 registered disabled citizens in Keighley who have six designated parking areas in Keighley town centre, providing approximately 36 spaces -- if of course non-disabled drivers don't use them.

Perhaps the next time there is a spare piece of land in the centre of Keighley, a car park is made for the disabled instead of building yet another supermarket.

BARBARA ROCK

Daleside Road,

Riddlesden.

SIR - Many readers will be aware that when using the Internet there is a risk of incurring expensive phone call charges by inadvertently downloading a piece of software, known as a "dialler", on to a computer.

Most diallers are perfectly legitimate. But others can effectively "highjack" a computer and dial premium rate or international numbers without the user's knowledge. Tens of thousands of dial-up Internet users have fallen victim this year. BT is doing everything it can to tackle this menace. In the past three months we've blocked 1,000 UK and international numbers associated with this problem.

We're also e-mailing all our Internet customers to warn them and give them advice.

Customers can ask BT to bar, free of charge, all premium rate calls: 50,000 customers have taken advantage of this since July. There is also a selective barring service, which includes international calls and costs £1.75 a month.

An explanation of the methods employed to entice customers to download these "rogue diallers" and advice on protection is available at www.bt.com/premiumrates.

The battle is not just BT's. Companies who use rogue diallers lease the telephone numbers from about 70 telecoms operators.

BT is legally obliged to pay the operators for calls which our customers make to their numbers. They, in turn, pay the companies, including those who are responsible for the rogue dialling problems.

BT is calling on these other operators to take more responsibility for the actions of the companies with whom they do business. The regulating body, the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS), is working with the industry to solve this problem.

The ICSTIS web site at www.icstis.org.uk provides details on how to check the nature of a premium rate service call which has appeared on a bill, obtain details of the service provider and, if necessary, make a complaint.

BT is making no profit from this problem. From every £1.50 of a premium rate call, BT retains only 3p.

We are donating all of this share of rogue dialler calls to children's charity Childline.

Gavin Patterson

Group Managing Director,

Consumer & Ventures,

BT Retail.

SIR - Most parents love their children and understand that hitting them not only causes physical and emotional pain but is upsetting for all concerned.

They know that forms of discipline which reward good behaviour, rather than punishing the bad, are more effective, safer and promote better relationships at home.

Legally, parents who hit and beat their children can defend themselves by pleading a defence of "reasonable chastisement".

This archaic law, which gives children less protection from assault than adults, has no place in modern society. Children are physically weaker, more vulnerable and utterly dependent on their carers.

The law needs to make it clear that is as unacceptable to hit a child as it is to hit an adult.

As the Children Bill passes through Parliament, I believe that MPs should take the opportunity to consign the legal defence of "reasonable chastisement" to the history books.

Let us all put a stop to hitting children. Full stop.

MISS T MITCHELL

Hawthorne Avenue,

Shipley

SIR - In the summer of 2003 you kindly published a letter on our behalf shortly after Keighley Cat Care was established to help in the rescue of needy cats in the Keighley area.

This "put us on the map" when we had 20 cats and kittens all safely homed.

In our first full year, 2003/4 we rehomed 86 rescue cats or kittens. Now we have 29 cats and kittens in need of safe, loving homes

We are desperate. Without new homes for those in care we cannot respond to the increasing number of requests for help.

It is heartbreaking to hear these pleas -- being full to bursting point -- when all we can suggest is to ring the alternative local cat rescue organisations when many of our callers have already tried most of these numbers already.

It is not uncommon for callers to be near to tears: especially when already coping with a family bereavement and so wanting to fulfil the owner's wishes for the beloved adult cat or cats to be re-homed.

Loved and cared-for cats live well into their teens and early twenties -- the advantage of the adult and mature cat is much overlooked.

Mostly, there are always exceptions as to everything, they know the dos and don'ts of cat etiquette, appreciate home comforts and are just so grateful to be loved again.

Can any of your readers please help in offering a safe, kind home to one of our kittens or cats in care so we may help more needy cats?

Please ring Paddy Russell on 01535 644567 for further details.

PADDY RUSSELL

Keighley Cat Care,

Back Leeming,

Oxenhope

SIR - As the new Parliamentary session beckons, local readers should be aware of the most significant policy likely to be introduced by the Labour Government.

Since Winston Churchill's post-war administration declared that Britain was a free country, no citizen has had to carry an ID card.

Tony Blair and David Blunkett have decided differently. If they have their way, compulsory national identity cards will once again become a reality.

Of course, we all wish to find solutions to crime, terrorism and fraud, but an identity card will achieve nothing.

It will cost billions of pounds of taxpayers money -- perhaps as much as £250 for every household in our area.

It will place more power in the hands of bureaucrats and politicians. It will help to line the purses of already powerful companies.

But an ID card will not improve our safety or security one bit. Spain has ID cards but it didn't stop the Madrid railway bombings. France has ID cards but they don't prevent illegal immigration. Italy has ID cards but they haven't ended corruption.

The Government's identity card programme is a threat to our privacy and our long-held civil liberties.

If you love your freedom and your rights, you will add your voice to the growing chorus of opposition.

Ian Oliver

No2ID Campaign,

Yorks & Humber Region

Woodlea,

Foxhill Crescent,

Weetwood,

Leeds