Parish's concern at road fatalities

We would like extend our heartfelt thanks to the dedication and expertise of our local police force and emergency services in all their efforts during, and after, the very tragic road accidents experienced in and around our parish, over the last few years. We also take this opportunity to once again offer our very sincere condolences to the bereaved families.

Draughton Parish Council has for many years (since the bypass was built in 1991) expressed deep concerns to the Highways Authority over the safety of the junctions off the A65 and A59 into the village. To date it is extremely sad to say very little has been achieved to improve matters, except for reflective bollards on the grass verges and two large directional signs which were erected this year. How this has increased road safety we are not sure, it may give a little further warning of turning traffic. Time will tell.

We have witnessed some horrific and extremely severe accidents at the junctions to the village, the most recent being the tragic fatality of the young wife and mother earlier this year. In our opinion the signs and bollards would have had little or no effect in preventing this tragic accident.

From what we understand, speed restrictions would also not have been effective. The Draughton bypass is the first length of straight road after Addingham and, as most local residents will report, it is seen as the green light to overtake slower vehicles, regardless of turning traffic.

We understand that Highways North Yorkshire are preparing a scheme to help prevent further road accidents at the A65 junctions to the village and Draughton Heights such as the introduction of traffic islands, protecting the turning traffic in the centre of the highway. At the present time stationary turning traffic is exposed to 60 mile per hour traffic on both sides of their vehicles, in all weather conditions, with no protection at all other than road markings and of course the new directional signs.

The argument for speed restriction is understandable and probably the easiest to implement, if difficult to enforce. It is our belief that speed was not the main contributor in the recent accidents, lack of driver attention and road design was largely to blame.

The junction of Low Lane and the A59 at the northern entrance to Draughton we also believe is a very dangerous place (more than nine injury accidents in the last four years), especially for traffic coming from the Skipton direction turning right over double white lines and two lanes of traffic. Could this be made a no right turn, or is there a better solution?

Inspector Charlton says that the majority of road traffic collisions are caused by driver error or poor behaviour. We would not disagree. We do however take exception to his comment that the A59 and the A65 roads around the village of Draughton are not dangerous, but notorious roads are a product of the national media.

The residents of Draughton have lived with near misses and fatalities for far too long for their concerns to be a figment of the media's imagination.

There are many dangerous stretches of road in and around this area; we are trying to reach a safer solution in our very small parish for both residents and visitors alike and have been doing so for a very long time. We are also pleased that our location has been placed on the Highways North Yorkshire Capital Reserve List. It took 54 years to get the bypass - let's hope it is not that long to put it right.

In the end is it down to finances? How much does a fatal accident cost the various authorities and society? Government figure suggest in excess of £1,000,000. Draughton and neighbouring parishes have seen four fatalities in the last three years.

Action not words are required Inspector Charlton. We look forward to Highways suggestions and your approval.

David Jones (on behalf of)

Draughton Parish Council.

SIR - I refer to your report on the 20mph schemes in Cross Hills and Glusburn.

I would like to clarify some points that have caused considerable concern in South Craven on what are two separate 20mph schemes.

Firstly, the report before the North Yorkshire Area Committee (November 3) was on the outcome of the consultation process for the Cross Hills scheme only. This includes Cross Hills Main Street and Holme Lane adjacent to South Craven School.

I would like to make it abundantly clear that the proposals do not include any speed tables for the Main Street (A6068), as intimated in your report and never have done. However, as reported, it does include speed tables on Holme Lane due to the current higher speeds which necessitate physical measures to bring about speed reductions to satisfy the criteria for the scheme. The intention of reducing these traffic speeds is primarily to improve highway safety outside South Craven School.

Secondly, the decision to develop a scheme in this financial year adjacent to Glusburn school was only taken last July, the intended implementation date is in the 2006-07 financial year. To my knowledge a scheme has not been prepared yet and when it is the proposals will be subject to consultation with all interested parties including residents, the Glusburn School governing body and the parish council.

For your readers' information, the main reason why Glusburn has been selected is due to the accident record outside Glusburn school which is regrettably the worst of any in Craven.

As South Craven's county councillor, I strongly support the development of this 20mph scheme to improve highway safety and reduce the risks for the many children (300+) who attend the school. This I know is echoed by the school's governing body.

I hope this clarifies the situation and reassures your readers.

Philip Barrett,

County councillor,

South Craven.

SIR - To help people whose health is affected by the perfumed products worn by the people around them, I have commissioned 1,000 white button badges with the logo "Your perfume, my poison".

Perfume is a well known trigger for migraines and can aggravate existing conditions such as sinus and respiratory illnesses, ME and those with environmental illnesses such as chemical and perfume sensitivity.

The badges can be obtained from Ribble Valley Council for Voluntary Service, 1 Swan Mews, Castle Street, Clitheroe, Lancs BB7 2BX (01200 422995) or email ribblevalleycvs@

ic24.net.

Cheques for £1 (inc p&p)

should be made payable to Ribble Valley CVS.

Jenny Saville,

Volunteer Co-ordinator,

The Chemical and Perfume Sensitivity Network.

SIR - On October 28 you reported that Craven District Council was planning to discuss car parking issues on the previous evening (as you went to press).

The following week's issue of the Craven Herald does not take us much further apart from saying the matter is still not resolved.

What are the details of the policies under discussion? Coun Barrett is reported as saying that he wants "users" to have the opportunity to influence the discussion and that they can do this through "overview and scrutiny".

What does this mean, do users really have any influence? Can the Craven Herald help users to exert some influence?

Malcolm Wiseman,

Netherghyll Lane,

Cononley.

SIR - The Sunday 'Farmers' Market' in Skipton offers superb high quality produce, brings vitality to the canal basin area of Skipton and is very popular with locals and visitors alike. I would have thought that these were all good reasons to keep and even extend it, but it would seem that in Skipton success is not to be encouraged.

I was shocked to hear from the stallholders on Sunday that that was to be the last ever market.

Apparently the market has been deemed to be "too popular"! The High Street market traders, the real power behind the throne in Skipton for many years, have objected, claiming the farmers' market is taking their trade. As usual their voice seems to be the only one that counts.

Even if the preposterous claim was true, what is wrong with healthy competition? Maybe the High Street stallholders should up their game and improve the quality and variety of their stock.

Many of the stalls serve only to attract coach loads of pensioners looking for a cheap day out who perhaps buy a £1 washing line, spend the same on a cup of tea and a penny or two in the car park toilets. Locals stay away from the town centre on market days in droves, put off by the hordes of slow-moving pedestrians, the vans blocking the High Street and the low quality merchandise on offer on some stalls; those High Street stalls which do cater for the locals thereby miss out. A vibrant high quality farmers' market is what Skipton has needed for a long time.

Such a market on the High Street would up trade in the town, attracting visitors with money in their pockets, money which would be spent not just on the market but also in Skipton's shops. Judging by the number of familiar faces at the canal basin on Sunday, it would also be popular with locals.

The knock-on effect would be an overall improvement of Skipton's town centre, attracting new businesses in place of the numerous charity shops which currently dominate the town.

Perhaps for once locals should be given the choice with a public vote.

Michelle Airey,

Clarence Street, Barnoldswick.

SIR - Today I visited the monthly farmer's market in the canal basin, as I have done each month since the market started in the summer.

I was very surprised to be asked to sign a petition against the closure of the farmer's market. Apparently this month's market may be the last one allowed to take place (although the reasons for this appeared to be rather vague - political motives were mentioned).

I willingly signed the petition as I believe that the monthly farmer's market is a beacon which shines out in a dull town centre full of charity shops, mobile phone shops and cafs.

The stallholders at the market sell interesting, locally produced food and the market has always been well attended when I have visited it. It would be a great shame if this month's was to be the last.

I am also writing to the council to find out the reasons for the potential closure but wondered if you know the reasoning behind it and whether anything can be done to save the market?

Mrs B Little,

Spring Rise, Draughton.

Editor's note: The farmers' markets on the canal basin were run as an experiment, which has now ended. The council will discuss whether to continue with them at a forthcoming meeting. The council has decided not to permit a Christmas farmers' market due to uncertainty over the legal position.

SIR - Last month a cygnet which had been caught up in fishing line was recovered from the canal at Skipton. Although the line and hook were removed at a bird sanctuary, the cygnet later died.

The RSPCA would appeal to all anglers not to discard unwanted line and to remove broken line and hooks wherever possible from the canal.

Swans and other water birds suffer needless agony when they become entangled or even swallow hooks and much time is spent by RSPCA staff and others catching these birds and taking them for veterinary treatment.

Peter Loweth

Secretary, Wharfedale branch,

RSPCA.

SIR - I must agree with the criticism of the BBC and the increase in the licence fee.

Your reader was quite correct to say that the BBC output has been very good and I would concede that it still can, when it puts its mind to it, produce the best quality television programmes.

However, this is a tax we must pay and in this area it is a tax where our money is being spent on services we cannot receive - namely digital television. The BBC taunts us with far too many adverts publicising its digital channels yet those are not available freely, without complications, as they are in most parts of the country.

And what if we don't want more channels even if we could get them? What if we don't want channels targetted at specific, minority interest audiences?

If I don't want Sky television I don't have to pay for it.

The licence fee is a tax, an unfair tax and I for one support the calls for a "pay as you go" system.

I don't mind paying for the BBC's 'Bleak House' - I do mind paying for a service that I cannot receive, even if I wanted to, without paying extra on top of my tax.

Mr S Dobson,

Keighley Road, Skipton.

SIR - The British Korean Veterans' Association is trying to contact former members of HM Armed Forces who served in Korea/Japan from 1950 to 1953, and also those servicemen and women who served in these two places at a later date with the Peace Keeping Force 1953 to 1957.

This appeal includes former members of the Merchant Navy, NAAFI, Red Cross and WRVS.

Any interested veteran should contact me at the address below. A stamped addressed envelope would be much appreciated for return correspondence.

May I thank you in anticipation of any help you can give us with our appeal.

Brian Hough,

National recruitment officer,

BKVA

11 Wardle Brook Walk,

Hattersley,

Cheshire, SK14 3JG.

SIR - In last Friday's paper in an article on the Bay Horse, it is described as "the village's Bay Horse pub".

The Bay Horse is undoubtedly in the parish of Bradley, but no more in the village than McDonalds or Skipton Ford. It would be correctly described as being at Snaygill, which indeed was the original name of the pub!

Michael Noon,

Bradley.

SIR - As the country falls silent this Friday and Sunday, we will remember those who have suffered bereavement, disability and pain as a result of armed conflict.

Veterans Agency is here for those people all year round. We provide free help, guidance and advice to anyone who has served in HM Armed Forces and their families - estimated to be some 13 million people in total.

Services can be accessed via a free helpline service - 0800 169 2277, the website veteransagency.mod.uk or via our network of 25 War Pensioners' Welfare Service offices throughout the UK and Ireland (see phone book for details). Advice is available on any issue affecting veterans' lives - from health to housing, finances to benefits.

For those bereaved or disabled as a result of Service, a range of pension and lump sum payments (£1,000 to £285,000) are available through the War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation schemes. Call the free helpline for more information.

At this time of year, we pause to remember those who have been killed or injured in defence of the nation and what they did for us all. I would encourage veterans and their families to contact us and see what we can now do for them.

Alan Burnham (chief executive),

Veterans Agency,

Norcross,

Blackpool FY5 3WP.