Letters to the Editor

One aspect of this closure that has not been mentioned is the problems we are experiencing in Laycock, with traffic using the village as a diversion to reach Oakworth, Haworth and other areas.

Since Oakworth Road has been closed we have seen the traffic in Laycock triple, particularly at 7.30-9am, 2.45-3.45pm and 4.30-6.45pm.

During these times it is almost impossible for residents to move from their homes. Trying to walk the dog after work is a nightmare. Whichever walk one chooses it means using at least some part of the road through the village.

Traffic hurtles past at amazing speeds, with some drivers gesticulating and shouting abuse at the walker.

Laycock was never meant to be a thoroughfare; it is a small village with very narrow roads, which cause enough problems for residents as it is.

If drivers want to use the village it would be nice if they would consider the residents and show at least some respect, or if that's not possible, then go by another route.

CATHERINE ROWEN

Laycock Lane, Keighley

SIR -- Last week Azher Nawaz accused me of falsity, and why not, Britain's a free country. He states no evidence exists that Iraq supports or harbours terrorists -- he must be kidding.

The Pakistani, Famzi Yousef, who bombed the World Trade Center in 1993, entered the US on an Iraqi passport supplied by Iraqi intelligence. His murderous gang included Emad Salem who had ties to Egyptian itelligence, Abdul Rahman Yasin, an Iraqi government employee, and Mohamed Salameh, a Palestinian whose uncle, another convicted terrorist, lives in Baghdad. Salameh made 46 phone calls to his uncle, which were traced, helping the US secure eventual convictions.

In 1996 Saddam was observed handing money to Asama bin Laden, two of whose top henchmen, Rafid Fatah and Abu Zubydar, were trained in Iraq. And prophetically the Iraqi newspaper, Babil, warned: "Does the US realise the meaning of every Iraqi becoming a missile that can cross to countries and cities?"

As for the claims that Iraq is not striving towards a nuclear, chemical or biological capability, try this for size. When Saddam's cousin, Hussein Kamil, defected, he said Iraq had weaponised bolulinium along with anthrax. Moreover, it was disclosed that Iraq had had a hand in the 1995 bomb in a US office in Riyadh. The evidence goes on and on.

Mr Nawaz asks, should we topple Sharon, specifying alleged Israeli atrocities. The fact is, Israel is a nation under permanent siege. From its birth Israel's Arab neighbours have sought to annihilate the entrie Jewish State. In 1967 the armies of Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Iraq, stiffened with soldiers from Algeria, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, invaded Israel. However, six days later when the victorious Israelis were about to traipse into Cairo, Amman and Damascus, the Arabs sued for peace.

Peace wasn't what they had in mind, and during the 1973 Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, Egypt and Syria, backed by the USSR, attacked yet again. Tell me, in all honesty, is it any wonder Israel strikes first and asks questions later? Mr Nawaz mentions the equality of human life. Do the murderers of Al Quaeda, Hizbollah, Hamas, Isalmic Jihad, or the PLO value life? Obviously not, otherwise they wouldn't send brainwashed young fanatics out to massacre Israeli shoppers, nor fly civilian aircraft into skyscrapers full of innocents. One thing is absolutely clear, Britain and the US have an excellent track record of ridding the world of dictators.

FRANK BRAMMAH

(address supplied)

SIR -- As a born and bred Fell Lane person, I feel I must comment on the latest, "accident" in Fell Lane.

Years ago the Lane above Fred's was predominantly fields and the road was a very pleasant alternative way to Oakworth and beyond.

Nowadays, with increasing urbanisation, the lane is becoming more and more a high speed rat-run for some of the motoring fraternity. Also, now that certain parts of the road have been resurfaced, the temptation to break the speed limit is sorely tested.

Most people will agree that the area around what was Fred's shop is a problem. Perhaps with the liberal use of a paintbrush -- road markings and/or bringing the road at that point down to a common sense single lane, benefits could accrue.

After all, other roads in certain areas of Keighley have had sections narrowed. Is this the answer?

Putting sleeping policemen and rumble strips in the road, in my opinion, may only appeal to those motorists who want to fly as well as drive. As the 21st century unfolds this so called "premier" artery of Keighley will become increasingly clogged with traffic, so something needs to be done now before someone becomes a fatal statistic. It always perplexes me that the powers that be have, in their great wisdom, placed artistic bricks in the road in Hanover Street. Surely zebra crossings would have been more oppropriate at one place at least.

Perhaps bricks in the road might be the answer to Fell Lane's problems? After all they are a more artistic and challenging way to make pedestrians and motorists think. But do people think?

J F ACKROYD

(address supplied)

SIR -- I have been retired for a number of years so I am unable to give a definite answer to the letter regarding Common Land (KN Sept 13).

To check if the Brow at Thwaites is registered common lane the writer should contact the Terrier Office, Room 508, City Hall, Bradford, where a full register of common land in this area is kept and maintained.

The easy way is to visit City Hall and ask to see the definitive maps showing the areas. The areas are shown coloured green and edged dark green so they are easily recognisable. The Terrier Officer will give all the help required.

If the land in question is common land this does not give the public the right of access unless there is a public footpath crossing the land.

All common land is owned by someone. The word common refers to the Rights of Common and is not common to everyone to do what they will, which unfortunately is what is generally assumed.

I give some examples of the Rights of Common.

1. The right to graze a specified number of sheep.

2. The right of Turbary, ie to cut peat.

3. The council has the right to stone for road building.

There are some areas where this applies around Ingrow Lane and Oakworth Road.

The rights have, of course, to be applied for and to be registered. I hope this very simplified answer gives a possible reason why, common land or privately owned, the Brow has been fenced off.

ALLAN CLOUGH

Oak Bank Crescent,

Keighley

SIR -- I read with great interest the letter in last week's KN refering to the land in Thwaites Brow Road.

I also was born and brought up in Thwaites. As a child and as an adult I too was of the understanding that the area fenced off was common land.

There was actually a footpath which started on the land and finished by the farm, which to my knowledge was called Clay's Farm. The footpath was used as a short cut to Thwaites Brow.

I too am concerned and would be interested in any explanation why this land has been fenced off.

(Name and address sup

plied)

SIR -- May I, through your columns, express my appreciation to the gardeners of the parks department for their excellent displays this year. What a joy they are to behold.

Thank you for a job well done.

COLIN ATKINSON

Croft House Lane,

Low Utley.

SIR -- The reluctance of Ian Stewart (Bradford Council chief executive) to provide Keighley Town Council with accounts for 13 amenities surprises me.

Surely these accounts are already on record and have been payed for by the ratepayers. An office junior should be able to pull out these figures in a morning. If not then there is something wrong with the accountancy practice used.

For future figures, try inflation plus 4 per cent.

JIM NAREY

Oakworth

SIR -- I have often wondered where our legal system was born. It must have been Disneyland with some of the bilge that comes from the courts, mostly from judges and solicitors. A drink-driver killed a woman and here is the judge's summing up.

He said this case had exceptional circumstances. The fact that the driver was only a small degree over the legal drive limit and that the death was not caused by the direct impact of the vehicle hitting the victim -- the vehicle struck a lamp-post which fell across the junction and struck the woman.

He also said the driver showed genuine remorse and shame for what he had done.

These factors in combination allowed the judge to take the unusual step of suspending sentence. He gave him two years sentence suspended for 12 months.

This should put our Haworth clampers to shame! But by this case the judges and clampers should change jobs.

STAN MOULES

Exley Head, Keighley

Sir -- And now some positive news of democracy at work. Following our recent correspondence on traffic issues in these columns, Geoffrey Dyson and I met in the town centre last Thursday and spent a productive hour examining the traffic flows and the many disruptive right hand turns. Mr Dyson's recommendations will now be tabled at the next meeting of the traffic, transport and environment committee of Keighley Town Council, on October 8, and Mr Dyson will be invited to attend.

No one believes we can solve the town's traffic problems in an instant but with the contributions of people like Mr Dyson, your councillors will do their best to seek realistic and sensible solutions.

CLLR GRAHAM MITCHELL

Keighley Town Council,

Oakworth Ward

SIR -- I am writing to complain about the fact that speech therapy will be stopping at Airedale Hospital/Silsden Group Practice for children who are five or at the end of reception year.

Both my two children, now seven and five, have attended speech therapy at Silsden. My eldest child, a daughter, was referred at two-and-a-half (which is young as most children have to be three before a speech therapist sees them).

Two years isn't a long time to sort out any speech problems, especially in boys who do develop a lot slower.

It is said help will be provided in schools, but it won't be one to one as it currently is. When will it be fitted in with an already very busy National Curriculum.?

What I see is that it will be stopped and it will cause a lot more problems down the line.

SARAH COX (Mrs)

Cornwall Avenue, Silsden