Letters to the editor

I refer to the half dozen temporary disabled bays in Skipton’s Town Hall car park which have recently disappeared. This has been done without consultation or thought about the impact on blue badge holders who will have no choice but to pay the full parking fee when the other disabled bays are full.

My wife reported this on Friday, March 22, to the car park department and expressed our concerns. The limp excuse was that it was too much trouble to create new bays or temporary notices.

The common sense approach would be to allow blue badge holders to park at concessionary rates in non-disabled bays, for the time being at least. A simple notice at the pay stations would suffice.

CDC agreed to look into this but to date it has not been done.

It is outrageous that in a so-called civilised society, CDC feels it can trample on the protected rights of disabled people.

The petition about the proposed policy to remove all concessions for blue badge holders is still collecting signatures and can be signed at the SCAD shop in Newmarket Street, Skipton. The recent devious action of CDC shows their proposed policy must not go unchallenged.

Phil Witten Skipton Park and ride scheme?

Sir – Last week’s “Businesses unite to fight new superstore” was the headline on the front page, with “County cuts blamed for bus firm closure” on page three.

Small businesses and local bus companies usually have more in common with the resident community than national chains.

The local businessman has to work with a much narrower budget to keep a modest profit margin, whilst national chains have a comfortable cushion between ticking along and minor loss, either of which are life or death to a small enterprise.

Fighting the ‘Big Guys’ rarely results in a ‘David thumps Goliath’ headline. Sadly it is often transformed into quite the reverse when David is trampled out of existence. He is only small; hence neither the FTSE nor the national economic indicators register much of a tremor.

The small businesses vanish without trace from the national scene leaving not only the unfortunate businessmen but also the local communities poorer.

Shouting ‘It’s not fair!’ may be morally true but as fairness and business competition don’t always go hand in hand it has little practical value. But could Skipton re-enforce its number one place in The Times by taking a crack at the culture of superstore proliferation?

Would it be possible to build a large parking area in the projected place of the superstore and have a ‘Park and Ride’ service supplied by a local bus company?

We could solve much of the parking problem, give a boost to small businesses and find a role for a local bus company. Adrienne Fox Skipton Happy memories Sir – I was very saddened by the news that our very own bus service was to cease shortly.

For me it has an extra sadness as when I was only three years old and living in Clapham on one fine afternoon my mother took me for a walk to the top of the hill to where there was a seat (and still is) on the high road to Ingleton.

As we sat there sipping milk from a bottle she pointed out to me a bus on the main road saying “that is the new bus that is starting to run to Ingleton”.

I found out later that was the inaugural run in 1925 of the orange buses which have always been seen on our roads.

Two years later, my father bought the shop in the square at Ingleton and at that time the square was the “bus station” and the Pennines would back down in the front of our shop each hour and at 10am my mother would have coffee waiting for the crews. Happy memories.

From this you will see that the Pennines buses have been in my life for nearly 90 years and I will be very sad if they do close down.

I do feel that North Yorkshire County Council should pay at least as much as other councils towards a service that is very necessary for a lot of old people.

J A Metcalfe Gargrave We need more homes Sir – As someone trying desperately to find a suitable three-bedroom house to rent in Skipton (look on Rightmove – there aren’t any!), perhaps the solution to the unwanted superstore near the cemetery is more housing.

Skipton may be a great place to live, but there are so few homes available that it’s also something of a closed shop.

The town can’t accommodate more businesses without having room to grow.

Private rents are crippling in some parts because the shortage is so severe unscrupulous landlords are charging over the odds.

The biggest shortage appears to be affordable family homes – both to rent and buy.

And I don’t mean cheap homes, there are barely any homes available for young families like me with a household income of over £50,000, and none to rent!

So rather than this unpopular supermarket, let a developer make untold millions building homes – that’ll pay for the infrastructure.

Mr A Milne Silsden Development questions Sir – Following your report (Craven Herald, March 27) concerning the proposed Wyvern Park development a number of questions arise.

Henry Boot say that “they have consulted many businesses and individuals who recognise that the development is vital to the town's economic future” and that “Skipton risks losing out to other nearby towns”.

How many is many? Were they consulted before or after the development at Jerry Croft was approved? How many companies are looking for larger premises? Which towns will Skipton lose out to? What evidence is there that Skipton needs another supermarket? Does CDC support this application and why and on what evidence? Does the stated number of possible jobs created take into account the potential job losses due to businesses closing in the town centre? Will Skipton become like so many towns and have a dying town centre?

Unless and until this evidence is forthcoming it is difficult if not impossible for residents to make an informed decision.

Whatever your view of the development at Jerry Croft at least it is in the town centre.

Unless there is is an overwhelming case for this development we run the risk of destroying the unique quality of Skipton which visitors and residents alike appreciate.

David Craven Rip-off NHS phone line Sir – Three years ago the NHS ordered all its medical centres to cease using the expensive 084 number to obtain appointments.

These numbers cost between 12p to 15p service charge plus between 4p and 12p per minute if called from a landline. From a mobile (33 per cent of the country have no access to landlines) the charge is between 20p and 40p per minute.

The caller pays this. The Health Centre gets the money.

So a five-minute call can cost the caller between 32p and £2. And that’s not including the charge that BT or whoever additionally charge you for using their lines. So you’re caught twice.

Yet despite my urging them not to do so since November of last year, Cross Hills Health Centre continues to use its 0844 number and to promote it as its main number and call it a “lo-cost” call.

So every time you sit patiently waiting to be connected and then sit through the list of options to press and then wait in the queue, charges are being racked up which you, the caller, pay to the health centre.

Their defence is that they have a contract which they cannot cancel without incurring a large penalty.

That should not be used for sharp practice and cupidity against its patients, most of whom haven’t a clue that they are being bilked in this way.

Patient access to the 0844 number should be discontinued, and the scarcely used local 01535 number promoted vigorously with a system in place telling the caller where they are in the queue.

To refuse to admit that they made a bad contract, to bite the bullet, to take the hit and to start being fair to patients is frankly deceptive practice not merely unworthy of the Health Service but in complete refusal of the NHS sanction of three years ago. For shame.

Allan Friswell Cowling Volunteers needed Sir – Disability Equipment Bradford is looking for volunteers to help in our drop-in equipment centre at Parkview Court in Shipley, right next to the swimming pool.

Many readers will know of our Dockfield Road disabled living centre, which has been open for over 10 years. It is a little out of the way so we have now opened a second site to make it easier for people to drop in as they are passing.

Dockfield Road is still available, by appointment only, to try larger items such as stairlifts, wash ‘n’ dry toilet, through floor lift and ceiling track hoists.

Parkview Court is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm and offers impartial advice and information and the opportunity to try out equipment in a friendly environment. If you chose to buy we can now supply you with smaller, everyday items at discount prices through our social enterprise.

We need volunteers to support our drop-in centre, to learn about equipment, carry out research and share your knowledge with our customers. All out of pocket expenses will be paid.

Low hours are welcome – a little bit of your time can help us go a long way.

Anyone interested should ask for a volunteering information pack from 01274 594173 or 592474, or alternatively via email enquiries@ disabilityadvice.org.uk Jill Griffiths Disability Equipment Bradford