Letters to the Editor

SIR - The UK freight transport industry, the most efficient in the world, is facing two key problems which only the Chancellor can influence.

If you've got it then it came on a truck but on the other hand, we pay higher taxes on our key transport operations than anywhere else in Europe - high fuel duty, Vehicle Excise Duty, insurance premium tax, etc. On the other hand, our smart transport industry is obliged to operate on a roads and rail infrastructure which is not fit for the purpose - inadequate, poorly maintained, badly managed.

The combination of a high tax regime and a poor service in return is simply not good enough. It's a miracle we have the fourth largest economy in the world under such unhelpful conditions.

Only the Chancellor can do anything about this. He must, at the very least, resist the temptation to make any further tax increases on transport. And he must start spending and provide a value-for-money road and rail infrastructure up to the job of delivering the goods which the economy - and all of us - require.

Malcolm Bingham (Regional Policy Manager), Freight Transport Association, Low Lane, Horsforth.

Good old Bradford

SIR - I am 47 and I've been living in Switzerland for 23 years.

When I met my Swiss husband at, of all places, the Mecca Ballroom, he was a technician installing a printing machine at Fields Printers.

He fell in love with me because I laughed a lot, I still do. Why? Well, we Bradfordians have a fantastic sense of humour. In Bradford you just get on with life.

I love coming back home because after all these years it's still the same in my "old local pub", despite the quite wrinkled faces now. It's as though I never left when I go back. I can recharge my "laughter" batteries and feel at ease. I have lived in several different countries but you just cannot beat Bradford.

I love it. Good old Yorkshire - good old Bradford.

Barbara Anne Wilson-Lifart, Route d'Echallens, 1041 Poliez-Pittet, Vaud, Switzerland

A fitting statue

SIR - Further to MP Christopher Leslie's unfounded attack on the T&A (Letters, November 21), I feel it is fair to echo the concerns of residents in Cottingley, Saltaire and Shipley, who are bracing themselves for traffic chaos once the relief road has had its grand political opening.

Rather than gloating, Mr Leslie should admit that the relief road constitutes a job half done as plans to link it to Canal Road have never transpired.

Might I suggest they put a statue of Christopher Leslie and John Prescott, aptly dressed as Laurel and Hardy, at Saltaire roundabout? Drivers will have plenty of time to look at it and will need something to cheer them up!

Dave James, Fletton Terrace, Undercliffe.

Better government

SIR - There is clearly a need to highlight the benefits a new, elected Yorkshire Regional Assembly will bring judging by your comments (T&A November 25) and the survey by Bradford Chamber of Commerce of ten per cent of its members.

Everyone in business should be concerned about their region and its poor performance on a range of economic indicators. There is a danger Yorkshire could be left behind as a second-class region.

Why should an assembly based here be less efficient in providing services currently delivered by Whitehall or faceless, unelected quangos?

A new assembly is about better government not more government.

Rather than conflict with the regional development agency or local authorities, it will provide a major boost to their work, providing the first major reversal of power away from London and back to our region.

It is nonsense to refer to "bleeding the coffers dry". Estimates for the new assembly - which will work from rented offices - are that it will cost the average (band D) ratepayer around 5p a week.

This is a small cost to create a new force to fight for our region, defend our interests and work for a better future for our children.

Jane Thomas, Director, Campaign for Yorkshire, Wakefield Media Centre, King Street, Wakefield

Hunting ban boon

SIR - How inspiring it was to read of young Daniel Murphy in Helen Mead's True Lives piece (T&A, November 25). Like many others, he was unfortunate enough to lose a limb in a shooting accident but is bravely continuing with his chosen career of caring for his beloved hunting hounds.

Encouragingly, there's good news on the horizon if the promised ban on bloodsports goes through Parliament this session. It will then be perfectly legal to substitute hunting our wild animals with drag hunting, which means the hounds will simply chase a man-made scent followed by the former huntsmen.

This, of course, will retain all the thrills of riding, fresh air and comradeship without inflicting pain on God's creatures, as well as ensuring that the dogs involved will stand a much greater chance of a longer life and not be destroyed before their time, as is the present rather unsavoury custom.

Sid Brown, Glenhurst Road, Shipley.

Danger crossing

SIR - I wholeheartedly agree with J Padgett (Letters, November 22) regarding traffic lights at Four Lane Ends on Thornton Road. It seems dangerous, short-sighted and illogical that traffic lights were installed with no provision for a proper pedestrian crossing with a push-button and "green and red men."

I often use the crossing with my young son, who is now four, and we have to take our life in our hands, or stay on the kerb for ages before there is a sufficient gap in the traffic.

There is no indication whatsoever for pedestrians as to when to cross since as soon as one set of traffic comes round the corner, another set does so from another direction.

I assumed, as did many people I am sure, that provision for pedestrians would follow the installation of these lights. Not only are there older and disabled people living locally, but many children have to cross there with parents to go to Morrisons, Alphabet Zoo, etc.

Please, please, please can the Transport Department do something about this?

Catherine Gilsenan, Arundel Village, Lower Grange.

Caring for the old

SIR - In response to Dean Enoch and Mike Stocks (Letters, November 20), our aims are to ensure the best for senior citizens. We have people who are responsible for looking at health, housing and entertainment.

We have a constitution and elected officers and all our people are pensioners. Both Mr Smith, our chairman, and his wife are ill, but despite this he still looks after the welfare of other people.

There is a need for groups who care about pensioners and I'm sure right-minded people realise the need for these groups to be run in a correct manner.

Joan Foulds (secretary, Retired Persons Action Group), New Line, Greengates.

Work together

SIR-- Jeanette Jenkinson has got things the wrong way around when she claims that EU membership limits the Government's powers to deal with key issues (Letters, November 17).

On the contrary, it is only by working with our neighbouring countries that we can hope to tackle questions such as environmental pollution, trading standards, consumer protection and a whole raft of other matters.

Xenophobes who refuse to work with foreigners would soon turn Britain into an isolated and impotent offshore island.

Councillor the Reverend Paul Flowers (Lab, Great Horton), Hollingwood Drive, Bradford.

Hats off to Bush

SIR - Can I say, now that George W Bush has gone, that it was a pleasure to have him here visiting us. Mr Bush is good for Britain, as our ally, and good for world security. He is working hard for peace and we should stand by him. He believes in God, does not drink or smoke and is a fine example of a peaceful human being and I, personally, would like to say: "Well done, Mr Bush".

Christopher Tansley, Sandfield Road, Idle