Apology needed

Sir - On Friday January 18, despite all the roads and fields in the Kettlewell area being heavily flooded and radio reports all day of flooding throughout the district, someone decided to take a party of students underground and, surprise surprise, they got stuck.

I was shocked to find that the students and "instructors" were not from far afield and, therefore, could perhaps have been caught out by the vagaries of the Dales weather. No, they were from Craven College in Skipton, a scant 20 or so miles away.

In these days of excessive amounts of health and safety and risk assessments invading our lives, which bright spark decided that it was safe to enter an already flooding cave system?

The college says the "instructors" were all fully trained in caving and other areas of the emergency services and the idea of the expedition was to gain experience they were on a course preparing them for careers in the emergency services. So where does he suggest next sending students - into burning buildings?

I do hope that when the college carries out its inquiry that heads roll and that the HSE are involved. Perhaps a prosecution would ensure that "trained staff" think twice next time about entering a cave in bad weather.

Craven College should now make a public apology for risking the lives of their students, name the so-called "instructors" so parents can make sure that their families never come into contact with them again and make a substantial payment to Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association, whose members could also have perished rectifying this grave error by the college.

Mark Carter, Low Greenfield, Langstrothdale Chase, Buckden

Floods danger

Sir - Well done with your strong leader last week, lambasting the secrecy of Craven District Council over the £340,000 being asked for a plot of our green belt for posh offices for J N Bentley.

In the same issue, you reported a desire by Skipton Properties to build 280 houses on more fields within the town's boundaries on the entrance from Ilkley.

However, something bigger emerged last week: floods. The mooted Skipton Properties site is on a hillside that drains into a stream that runs into the town. Smothering it with houses will exacerbate this water run-off (as well as inundating that area with more vehicle movements).

On the other side of town, a hundred yards from the Bentley application site and the vast complex proposed for Skipton Building Society offices and (vested interest abounding) Craven District Council's new HQ, the same hard surface run-off will be hazardous.

Last week, water was making new courses down hillsides that were saturated. Even the vast depression in the centre of the adjacent bypass roundabout filled with water and was overflowing. That's a new first. All these plans should be suspended, now.

If Bentley and Skipton Building Society, each chasing prestige sites, threaten to take their jobs elsewhere, let them. I think they are bluffing. It is an emotional and fiscal blackmail. In any case, many of their workers do not even live in the town, but travel to work. This "give us or else" approach needs a robust response. We want sheep in the fields, not concrete. We want councillors, not sheep.

John and Jane Jackson, High Mill Cottage, Grassington Road, Skipton

One-way...1

Sir - Regarding the letter from Liz Robinson ("Wrong way", January 25), I had similar thoughts when the Craven Herald published a detailed article about this, but it soon became clear why the one-way system is to be as described. The object is to prevent Carleton Street and Cross Street being used as a "rat run" (I quote the residents) by people travelling from Craven Street/Cavendish Street to the town centre.

Traffic is already banned from turning right into Cross Street, although I think a "No Entry" sign might be a little more effective than the often ignored "No Right Turn" sign. At present, far more traffic goes from Tesco to Keighley Road than vice-versa. For what reason would anyone wish to turn left into those streets other than to park there?

The residents would ideally choose to have no traffic at all, but the council, no doubt, would refuse to put a wall opposite the fish and chip shop! So there's the logic (sic) of it! The great advantage in "reversing the flow" is simply that it reduces to a minimum the movement of traffic in the two streets.

To those determined to protest I suggest they all make a point of turning left into Cross Street, left again into Craven Street, left again into Keighley Road and repeat. You won't get anywhere, but you will let your feelings be known!

RA Hall, Cross Bank, Skipton

One-way...2

Sir - What a breath of fresh air Liz Robinson's letter in last week's Craven Herald was. I whole-heartedly support everything she says about the proposed one-way system using Cross Street. It is going to make getting out of Tesco very difficult indeed. At the moment it is very problematic to turn left onto Keighley Road because of the tailback of traffic turning right and the parked cars on the left. The Belmont Bridge junction for traffic turning right is already a nightmare and will become impossible and dangerous.

Andrew Wilson, Skipton Road, Embsay

Swadford reply

Sir - As chairman of the committee managing the Swadford Centre I would like to respond to an article in last week's Craven Herald.

The centre was founded by the Rotary Club of Skipton in 1964 as a registered charity with formal trust deeds. Its purpose was to provide a focal point for the old people living in the areas within the then Skipton Urban and Rural District Councils.

The committee has always tried to provide refreshments and food at low prices for local people, as well as a place where they can meet friends and read newspapers. There never has been any obligation to buy anything in order to sit down in the centre and use its facilities. This has been possible because, with the sole exception of the manager, all involved (including our highly valued helpers in the café) are volunteers.

The cost of living has risen quite sharply in recent months. The committee felt it had no alternative other than to increase the café prices for the first time in three years. We have to balance the books if the centre is to stay open. Printed explanations of the changes were distributed in the centre.

Skipton is a very popular town for tourists. Many have found their way to the centre. In order to abide by the charity's constitution, the committee decided to limit entry to the centre to people of 60 years of age and over. After all, who in their 50s consider themselves "old"? Coupled with this we offer a discount to anyone living in the original area of benefit.

The prices for food and refreshments will be more prominently displayed with a clear explanation of the discount arrangements. The prices quoted in last week's articles are not correct. A cup of tea was 40p, it is now 50p with the discount and 60p without. The discounted price for soup (and a roll) is £1.50.

Colin Reeder, Chairman, Swadford Centre, Swadford Street, Skipton

Contractors thanks

Sir - I would like to thank Balfour Beatty, the contractors working on the water main in Main Street, Cross Hills. When the water pressure in my salon dropped to a trickle I went to one of the workers to ask if they had turned off the water and he said no, but they dropped everything and came to my aid. They were extremely professional and polite and couldn't do enough to help. I know the work being done is inconvenient, but they are just doing their job and, up to press, they are doing a good job, so please say a big thank you from "on the nail" Cross Hills.

Heather Newhouse, Main Street, Cross Hills

Oppose tax rises

Sir - Council taxes are forecast to increase in North Yorkshire by 4.9 per cent. Why are our councillors, in conjunction with councillors from all over England, not taking a stand in opposition to these unacceptable increases? The police, quite rightly, have demonstrated and lobbied in London against an unjust pay settlement. Where are our own local politicians saying "No" to above-inflation council tax increases and for the full maintenance of our services? The money is there - £55 billion of our money, which we could well lose, has been spent on the Northern Rock debacle. Fancy words and excuses are no good. Action, as the police have proved, is. Let us see it happening.

Brian Ormondroyd, Brindley Court, Skipton

Yellow and green

Sir - John Sheard's article ("The yellow peril that blights our environment", January 11) questions both the demand for the Yellow Pages directory and the product's environmental impact.

The Yellow Pages directory is a much-used product, with independent research showing that it is used almost a billion times a year - indicating that there is still a very clear demand.

As publisher, we take our environmental responsibilities very seriously and, as part of our commitment to sustainability, our directories contain an average of 51 per cent recycled fibre content. The remaining 49 per cent of virgin fibre is all derived from sustainably managed sources.

We actively encourage the recycling of old Yellow Pages directories and operate a comprehensive recycling programme working with consumers, local authorities, recycling organisations, schools and the end-users of recycled products.

Mr Sheard may want to check his kitchen scales, which he admits are "somewhat battered". The Bradford, Halifax and Skipton edition weighs around 3lbs - as shown in the picture accompanying his piece - rather than the 12lbs 3oz he states.

Matthew Pentland Publishing Environment Manager, Yell, Queens Walk, Oxford Road, Reading

John Sheard writes: I did get the weight of my tome wrong: it should have been 2lbs 13 oz, not 12lbs 3oz, a typing error although the picture did show the real weight on the scales. This is still nearly three pounds of unwanted and, I believe, unwarranted use of wood pulp, even if half of it is recycled. I don't want the thing and should be asked before it is delivered as junk mail.

Subway blues

Sir - It's only a few months ago that the Craven Herald published an article about the council's refusal to let Costa Coffee take over the former Phones 4 U shop on Sheep Street because of the amount of similar shops in the surrounding area.

At the time there were two such shops opposite and now there are three all in a row. The third one must have got the permission it required.

Now it appears Subway, the sandwich and coffee shop, is opening in Skipton. As the only shop apparently being renovated at the moment in the town is next to Martin's news agency, on Keighley Road, it has to be presumed this is where Subway is going to be.

If so there is Wild's bakery opposite, selling packed sandwiches, Craven Bakery round the corner, selling sandwiches and hot pies, and the Co-op cafe in proximity.

There are at least 14 cafes and coffee shops already in the town, not counting bakeries and pubs. It would be interesting to see how Subway succeeded in getting premises in Skipton when Costa Coffee couldn't and how all these eating establishments are expected to survive in what is, after all, a fairly small town.

Patricia Mason, Sackville Street, Skipton

Building concern

Sir - I am greatly concerned over a proposed property development of 75 dwellings on the field behind my home on Bungalow Road.

This was proposed six years ago and rightly turned down.

Affordable housing would dominate the front area of the field, which would completely spoil any country view we have. The proposed access is the already congested Green Lane (what a joke!), Black Abbey (a quiet cul-de-sac ), and one of our bumpy unmade roads leading off Colne Road could be in for a makeover. In other words, our village will be violated.

The primary school is at saturation point. The GP surgery is run off its feet. There is one dentist for the whole of Eastburn, Steeton, Cross Hills, Glusburn, Sutton and Cowling. There are no employment opportunities for a new population, let alone the existing residents. The drains are overloaded already, with regular flooding.

We moved here into our little terraced houses with the bumpy, unmade streets and quiet village community for a reason. Why should our homes and community be spoiled? Surely there are more suitable building locations.

Debra Cook, Bungalow Road, Glusburn

Facts check

Sir - In your report on the floods last week, you say the trains stopped running and were only reinstated on Wednesday. This is only half right. I managed to get back to Skipton on Monday evening and to get to and from work by train on Tuesday. While it is true services were disrupted and Leeds services suspended, there was still a normal(ish) service to and from Bradford.

In the short about the lorry crash on the Skipton-to-Grassington road, you state the accident happened around 1.15pm. I was on my way home along this road at 4pm when I was passed by three emergency vehicles and saw the queue of traffic not far from the accident location. It did appear the accident had just happened. Perhaps you can check the accuracy of these reports.

Richard Tomlinson, Badger Gate, Threshfield

Editor's note: Mr Tomlinson is correct about the trains and we are grateful to him for pointing out the error. The information about the accident came from the police.

M&S a godsend

Sir - I work in the centre of Skipton and have half an hour lunch break. M&S is a godsend. Perhaps if the 450 people who signed Mr Hussain's petition against M&S selling newspapers all buy their newspapers and magazines from him each day, he will have no need to worry! M&S is an asset to Skipton and might help to reverse the trend of shops closing and reopening as charity shops as their success may encourage other quality retailers to invest in the town.

Barbara Bulcock, Appletree Cottage, Salterforth

Pedal power

Sir - This is a copy of a letter to the editor of the NY Times the monthly paper circulated by North Yorkshire County Council.

Regarding the article "More power to the pedals in 2008" in the February edition of the NY Times. While I wholeheartedly agree with the national vote for substantial Lottery funding to be directed to the development of cycle-ways, I am appalled by the appointment of a "Cycling Development Officer" funded by the North Yorkshire share.

No doubt, when the four-year investment period is over, the position will be one more which will be funded through council tax with little return.

Driving up the A65 I greatly sympathise with cyclists, who have to put up with huge volumes of traffic showing little courtesy.

However, part solution was provided by Dr Beeching 50 years ago. Disused railway tracks run adjacent to the A65 for some distance and also all over the county, linking old branch lines to existing tracks and stations. Surely it doesn't need a cycling development officer to identify these and cost their upgrading.

Such a scheme has been carried out from near Caton into Lancaster, then on to Glasson Dock and Morecambe. The path is used considerably by cyclists and pedestrians. It also provides a "green" route into the city from outlying villages. Can I suggest examination of an Ordnance Survey map, for Dr Beeching's handywork is all that is initially required to expand the county's cycle-ways.

Nigel B Pearson, Illiwell Lane Barn, Masongill, Ingleton

Car park concern

Sir - At last we are to get attention to the Town Hall car park, as reported in the Craven Herald, January 25.

Two matters concern me over this: 1) did I read correctly? Speed humps? Why try and slow down the zimmer frames; they need speeding up if anything. This reminds me of Highways and their notion of slowing traffic down to 20mph on the High Street.

2) Will HGV parking now be banned from this car park? If not the whole thing is surely a waste of effort and money, for these monsters will soon chew up the setts in Jerry Croft - and the speed humps!

Bob Wright, The Wright Wine Company Ltd, The Old Smithy, Raikes Road, Skipton

Sheep shot

Sir - At last we have the secret to the council's mysterious planning policy as revealed exclusively in last week's edition. Coun Paul English, acting council leader and chairman of the policy committee, states that: "We have lots of fields with five or six sheep in them, but not a lot with good employment". God help Skipton if this crude sheep test is to be the basis for future planning decisions.

John Lovell, Belgrave Street, Skipton

Give us a toot!

Sir - The Litter Picking Season is now officially open. There are six men to do the highways and byways from Bentham to Pateley Bridge and if we don't all help we will be knee-deep in grot. A friendly toot of the horn is always welcome when you see a volunteer litter picker on the roadside.

Rowena (Bunty) Leder, Lythe Cottage, Grassington

Screen test

Sir - It may sound great to have a computer in every house but: a) What will it be used for?

b) Can it help with writing and spelling?

c) Which room will it be in?

d) Will parents encourage proper use?

e) What about simple pencil, crayons and paper?

f) What about sharing between others and even parents?

g) Are computers used to their best in homes already with one?

h) What about the age old saying "No impression without expression"?

Dr J A Farrer, Hall Garth, Clapham

9:12am Friday 1st February 2008

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