Readers' Letters

Unbelievably, those planners have not seen an up-to-date engineer's report on the condition of that bridge.

They rely on assurances only from British Waterways that the bridge will stand up to the loads it will be subjected to. Assurances are not evidence, especially when independent surveys have revealed considerable weaknesses in the bridge.

Surely, professional caution and common sense on the part of local planners require all assurances to be verified.

No-one now trusts Railtrack's assurances on safety. Nearer home, John Walker has shown that Yorkshire Water gave misleading information to planners about the capacity of the sewers in Airedale.

'Trust but verify' was a maxim much used by a former president of the USA. It makes sense worldwide.

DAVID BATEMAN,

Chairman, Riddlesden

Action Group.

SIR - I write regarding your front page article on further housing proposed for Eastburn (October 15). On October 8 you reported on a further 144 houses on green belt land/fields in Oakworth.

There also remains the potential massive development for houses in Silsden.

It is so easy to add on to existing villages, just a few more lines for gas, electricity, etc, water and sewerage (regardless of any overload) and ignore - as Bradford consistently does - the loss of greenfield sites, the pressure on schools, transport, dentists, doctors etc.

As Brian Hudson's letter indicates, there are potential sites within Bradford City centre at present, to which ought to be added (as Cllr Cope does for Bronte Middle) the 40 Bradford Middle Schools due for closure. This figure excludes Shipley, Keighley, Bingley and Ilkley Middle schools. Bradford currently has 75 plus First schools.

These sites would cost developers more since they would have to clear existing buildings, locate, upgrade, move, install utilities.

Obviously the reason developers are not interested in upgrading central Bradford sites are twofold, in that it is more expensive and nobody wants to live in Bradford and send their children to Bradford schools!

I have every sympathy for people who do not want to live in Bradford and who want to move out into a community. But this is no excuse for the Council to 'offload' its problems onto existing villages.

BARBARA VARLEY,

Mount View, Oakworth.

SIR - During the many years I served as a locomotiveman (steam and diesel) with the LNER, Royal Engineers (during WW2) and British Rail, eyesight tests dominated medical exams and since 1974 hearing tests; psycho-analysis was never a consideration, and functional nervous disease might well exist.

There was always something to do on a steam engine as a driver, even if it was just a turn on the shovel. With diesel and electric traction there is nothing to do except watch carefully for signals.

So it becomes monotonous hour after hour, mile after mile, seeing repetitive green signals and hearing bell ringing where the automatic warning system (AWS) is fitted. This could well create a false state of safety in the mind of the driver and, in fact, lull him to sleep in his solitude.

"You need to see a psychiatrist" was never a compliment, but perhaps it is time psychiatry became part of the medical test for railway locomotive men.

If a train driver has money problems or has fallen out with his wife or girl friend, as only two examples of what could be on his mind, how can he concentrate on signals?

CHARLES MEACHER,

Rosslyn Grove, Haworth.

SIR - Thousands of responsible, professional railway men and women share the shock and disbelief felt by the nation following the tragic loss of life at Paddington.

Such feelings are compounded by the ill-informed, inaccurate and often hysterical media comment of recent days which sadly, is mirrored across some newspapers in the region as editors and journalists join the unseemly scramble for a seat at the kangaroo court following this appalling accident.

Here are the facts:

The responsibility for the safe transport of rail passengers lies with the whole industry, not just Railtrack.

Railtrack has not been relieved of its safety responsibilities but will naturally co-operate with a review of safety systems management in the wider interests of industry safety.

Railtrack's Safety & Standards Directorate is separated from the company's business and commercial interests.

Among other duties, the directorate manages the process by which mandatory Railway Group Standards are produced, revised, accepted, authorised and issued. All group standards are approved by Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate (HMRI), which is part of the government's Health and Safety Commission.

The Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has publicly said that privatisation had no bearing on the tragedy at Ladbroke Grove.

Signals Passed at Danger. Every red signal is preceded by either at least one yellow signal, or a yellow and double yellow, with an HMRI approved minimum sighting distance for each. All signal sighting is agreed and reviewed with train operators before the HMRI approve them and sign them off for use.

If a driver neglects to cancel the in-cab alarm, which sounds before cautionary and stop signals, the brakes are automatically applied. All SPADs, even if passed by so much as an inch, are fully investigated. At nearly every signal there is 200 yard overlap.

At Swinton near Sheffield, which has been the focus of so much publicity, the signal protects a moth-balled freight line some 750 metres away.

In attacking Railtrack the media attack the hundreds of our staff based throughout the region. They are an immensely professional collection of individuals who discharge their responsibilities fully with enormous care and dedication.

I find it appalling that they have to endure hostile untruthful media coverage which shamelessly demonises all of us at Railtrack.

NICHOLAS POLLARD,

Director, Railtrack

London North Eastern.

SIR - Do you have any relations who are due to celebrate their 40th birthday before September 2000?

Do you have a son or a daughter who was born late 1959 or early 1960?

Did they attend South Craven School at Cross Hills from September 1971 to July 1976/78?

If you know someone who fits the details, please tell them that we are holding a 40th birthday party and reunion on Friday November 12, 1999 at The Sunnybank Social Club, Silsden at 8pm.

For details please contact Rachael Tillotson on 07931 364086 or Rachel Emmott on 01535 655706.

Tickets at £1.50 (to cover costs) are available from Angela at Brook Opticians, Silsden, or by sending an SAE to R Neild, FieldHead Barn, Newsholme, Keighley, BD22 OQL. Please make cheques payable to R Iveson.

RACHAEL NEILD,

Newholme, Oakworth.

SIR - As darkness falls on December 31, 1999, a chain of beacons and bonfires will be lit across the country, heralding a spectacular celebration of the New Millennium.

Beacon Millennium is a family-oriented national event, which everyone can take part in wherever they live at little or no cost. The beacons will form focal points for the celebrations to mark the start of the UK's Millennium Festival.

Beacon Millennium, of which British Gas is the major sponsor, is co-ordinating the chain of beacons throughout the UK. It is hoped that thousands of local communities will take part in this historic event.

At the same time as the beacons burn, many events will also be raising money for local and national charities. Beacon Millennium has adopted as its official charities the British Paralympic Association, Help the Aged, The Cancer Research Campaign, Unicef (UK) and the WWF-UK. Individuals and groups can also raise funds for their own chosen charity or local community organisation.

For more information on how to get involved, contact the Beacon Millennium team on 01725 518810.

BRUNO PEEK,

Founder and Chairman,

Beacon Millennium.

SIR - I am disappointed that last week's article on developments at Skipton Properties' site at Long Lee failed to make mention of any of the issues which have caused and continue to cause residents so much anguish over the last ten months.

This oversight may, in part, be due to the fact that the residents were refused a voice at the Planning Committee's meeting on Thursday, October 14... making a mockery of the Chair of Committee's preceding assertion that he welcomed and indeed sought just such opinion and viewpoint... "listening to the people" as Bradford would have us believe.

Objectors have a five minute slot once a month to voice their concerns where the Planning department have been locked in consultation with the developer for over ten months... the outcome of which always seems to be in the developer's interests and to the detriment of our own.

This month we didn't even have our five minutes.

The Planning department have failed and continue to fail to protect the property of the neighbouring residents of this site... now in its tenth month.

The gabion wall and attendant mountain of infill were discredited (finally!) in June... yet they remain, and have been allowed to cause further ruin and destruction to the gardens and property of residents of Cherry Tree Rise.

The only advice/help to come out of the Planning Office has been "Get yourselves a good lawyer". As rate-paying customers, is this the best we can expect from public servants?

JACK KITSON,

Cherry Tree Rise, Long Lee.

SIR - In the past Keighley News have been very supportive to the objectors regarding the Birch Tree Gardens site, Long Lee.

I was very dismayed to read your report of last week's Keighley Planning Committee. There was no mention of the objectors' speaker (who had incidentally taken a days holiday to attend) being denied the chance to speak. We were talked to and at by the planners. Once again (third time) the site was being made safe.

No questions were allowed by the objectors. I found the whole affair undemocratic. It appears the developers can have as much time they want in discussion with the planners, and the objectors are allowed five minutes only at the monthly planning committee, and even this was denied to us. Is this democracy?

ALMA HICKTON,

Dale View Road, Long Lee.

SIR - I am a mother of a young child with autism. I also work as a TV presenter on a popular Sky and cable TV channel.

I am writing to highlight an exciting, unique, and FREE opportunity for readers to learn more about autism --an often misunderstood, lifelong social and communication disability which affects over 500,000 people in the UK alone, my son included.

Autism 99 is the first-ever world-wide disability conference to take place only on the Internet. This November, it will give people from across the world the chance to log into the most up-to-date and interactive source of information on autistic spectrum disorders - just by clicking a mouse-pad!

At work and at home, over 6,500 people have already signed up to take part in Autism 99 --alongside myself and my family, friends and colleagues. We know first-hand the impact autism can have - but there is always more to learn. Moreover, thanks to the generosity of BT's Friends and Family customers, many of the National Autistic Society's regional branches have been enabled to actively participate in the conference too.

There is no cure for autism: children with autism grow up to be adults with autism. But things can be done to improve the quality of life for people with autism, and something we can all do is make an effort to increase our knowledge and understanding.

On behalf of Autism 99's co-ordinating bodies - the National Autistic Society, the Shirley Foundation and RMR Design - I very much look forward to joining you at: www.autism99.org from November 2-19.

FIONA FARRELL,

The National Autistic

Society.

SIR - I would like to say a very big thank you to David Petyt and to Herncliffe Nursing Home for the money they gave for plants for the roundabouts at the bottom of Oakworth Road/High Street area and the junction of Skipton Road and Hard Ings Road.

Thank you also to the Parks Department for using the money so well.

The roundabouts and the roadside gardens near them have been absolutely beautiful all the year through.

There were winter pansies etc then spring bulbs, and the bedding plants have been really special and colourful all the summer.

Further thanks to whoever was responsible for the lovely hanging baskets in Town Hall Square and along North Street - they too have been exceptional this year.

ROSAMUND MITCHELL,

Grange Farm, Oakworth.

SIR - Why not get in tune with the Christmas spirit this year by opening your hearts (and lungs) and taking part in Mencap's Carol Sing A Song? The notes you raise will help to enrich the lives of children and adults with a learning disability.

All you need to do is get together a group of friends or colleagues to sing songs or stage your own choice of festive fundraising activity. Mencap provides the collecting tins, song sheets and key tips to ensure a successful event.

So how about ending this millennium on a high note by helping Mencap

For a free Carol Sing A Song Pack contact Mencap on 0645 777 779 or write to Carol Sing A Song. Mencap, FREEPOST, EC1B 1AA.

NOEL EDMONDS, MENCAP.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.