Letters to the Editor

I'm Press Officer for two local history societies in North London now, and tell so many people about Shipley Glen's wonderful boat swings, thrilling aerial glide ride, and above all the famous tramway.

I've even thought of organising a weekend coach trip to show them this little gem, along with some of Bradford's other great attractions which even "foreigners" from London know about, such as Haworth Parsonage and the Museum of Photography.

A visit to my parents in Bingley is long overdue and I was devastated to read, when visiting your website for the first time, that the tramway is closing and I may never again be able to re-live those early memories or introduce friends to this wonderful experience.

It would be a tragedy if the tramway's closure were to lead to the loss of the funfair too - and a housing development in Shipley Glen.

Wake up, Bradford! The tramway is part of your heritage, but if you let it die, everyone everywhere loses out in the end.

Rachael Macdonald, Palmerston Road, Bowes Park, London.

SIR - If you think that the Prime Minister is the only one who can do something about the way Bradford Council think they can treat our elderly, well - we'll see! I have written to him and the Queen on behalf of our elderly people in Meadowcroft. Perhaps they will discuss the issue in their weekly meeting. You never know.

As we are already aware from the numerous letters, Bradford's model care home and re-hab unit is under threat of closure. This is against the will of the people who live there, their families and the people who have benefited from the wonderful care they have received in the past - which they may need in the future.

I myself am in my thirties but I strongly believe that our elderly people deserve the on-going care given by Meadowcroft and under no circumstances should Bradford Council have the right to take this from them. These people have already had years taken out of there lives during the wars, working hard in terrible conditions.

I believe it's thanks to Meadowcroft that these elderly people are still alive today and should be allowed to continue to live happily with each other - their friends.

Heidi Feather, Overton Drive, Horton Bank Top, Bradford.

SIR - The government is doing much about people who drive and use mobile phones, people who drink and drive and who do drugs and drive, but my concern is this: Under which law do you prosecute people who due to their carelessness put young children at risk?

I spend a lot of time in my car, for pleasure and profession, and I am gobsmacked at the many times I have seen young children standing in the back while parents are driving at speed on busy roads.

I have on occasion told the drivers of their stupidity only to face a torrent of verbal abuse. Do these people not care for their youngsters? Don't they realise their children could end up crashing through the car windscreen at high speed?

All it takes is two minutes to make sure the child is strapped in before starting their journey. Is that too much to ask?

So if you see a child standing between the back seats of a moving car, take the details of the vehicle and report it to the police. I will, without any hesitation.

Aneela Ahmed, Lidget Green, Bradford.

SIR - The youth of today are the future of this country, according to Mubarik Iqbal (T&A, August 28). What a sad indictment that she feels that such as those who have been imprisoned are our future.

Just exactly what "stupid things" has she done in the past? Is she, like many, simply underestimating the severity and impact of the rioting last year?

If an example is being made, so what? Quite rightly I say. Just how many times do the rioters want letting off? Once was enough in the mid-nineties when no action was taken.

Can I suggest that the recent sentences are simply too lenient. The Pakistani community is only doing harm by protesting and is showing no tendency whatsoever to bridging racial barriers.

Bite the bullet, take the punishment and move on!

Philip Riley, Walker Terrace, Cullingworth, Bradford 13.

SIR - I suggest those people who are protesting at the so-called harsh sentences passed on the yobs who caused terror and havoc in Bradford channel their energies into protesting against the people who sentenced the woman to death by stoning because she had a baby out of wedlock.

You can't get a harsher sentence than that.

Ronald Cook, Evelyn Terrace, Queensbury.

SIR - Regarding the 'great school place debate', I am concerned at the number of places to be lost to the district. Woodlands in particular is an excellent school with excellent results and a dedicated hard-working staff.

Isn't this 'review' short-sighted? Although Bradford may currently have a number of spare places in its schools, this is largely due to people leaving the district and 'going over't border' to Kirklees, Calderdale and Leeds.

But things are looking up for three reasons.

1. Bradford certainly can - and should - win Capital of Culture.

2. Work has been done from within the various communities of Bradford to 'heal' the rift caused by the riots.

3. Investment seems to actually be coming to Bradford.

So why then does Bradford 'look at ways' to close excellent schools such as Woodlands to cut vacant places (in other schools) - when these places will be filled many times over once people return to the city? Not exactly what you could call faith in yourself, is it!

For once, Bradford, look further ahead! Don't spend money tomorrow to replace what you sell off today!

Ian Stone, Knowler Hill, Liversedge.

SIR - In response to the article about taxi drivers rushing to jobs (T&A September 4).

Due to the enormous costs now involved in running a taxi, it may come as no surprise that drivers are rushing to collect their next fare. When I quit as a private hire driver in 1999, my costs were: radio rent £70 per week, taxi insurance £2,400 per year, fuel £10-£20 per shift plus maintaining and paying for the vehicle on top - all this before taking any wages.

Your average cabbies are very conscientious about their driving as they cannot afford to be off the road due to an accident because they still have to pay their overheads whether they work or not. I am positive that these overheads are now even more expensive.

David Brown, Winrose Close, Wyke.

SIR - I read with interest the story of the ladies who had to pay for wheel-clamping in Haworth with M&S vouchers (T&A, Wednesday September 4).

We experienced a similar situation in the same car park. We presumed that as it was the weekend, car parking charges did not apply. It was only when we returned that we found ourselves clamped.

We wrote to dispute the matter with the car-clamping company but with no response. Someone needs to put a stop to this.

Michelle Godwin, Westminster Drive, Clayton, Bradford.

SIR - How nice it is to see that someone has made an effort to slow the traffic on Manchester Road by introducing a 30 mph limit.

What a pity nobody's enforcing it though.

Adrian Freeman, Hawkshead Way, Bradford.