SIR - A development involving M&S is good news. A deal is expected to be agreed with Norman Simpson, of Pennine Buses about access.

As chairman of SCAD, Mr Simpson was approached by me two years ago requesting access for people with a mobility problem.

The reply was: "There would be some developments in future plans."

I, also in my capacity as chairman, approached the chief executive of Craven District Council, Gill Dixon, and at each of AGMs have referred the problem to the chairman of CDC.

North Yorkshire County Council has given free travel passes to the retired section of our community (an ever-increasing number). What use are these if some of these people cannot get on the bus?

There is discrimination here which needs to be addressed.

All these people have contributed to the economy of the area and paid for bus travel when they were able to use it.

Wherever I go - even in small places - buses have a platform which can be lowered for pushchairs, wheelchairs, people with walking aids.

I am retired myself, but, fortunately, do not have a mobility problem. This issue applies to visitors to the area (we hire wheelchairs).

There is a large section of our community whose lives could be enriched with access onto the buses and they are entitled to it.

Elizabeth Gray, Former chairman of SCAD, Station Road, Long Preston.

Editor's note: by law, all buses must have wheelchair access by 2015. Mr Simpson tells us he will be upgrading his fleet as soon as finances allow. He is hoping to use rental money from the Skipton retail development to pay for the work.

Stop expansion

SIR - I have been following the debate about Booths with interest.

We have Booths, with cafés, at Windermere and Ulverston, but the shop communities' are much more resilient than Settle.

Anyone selling pharmacy/electrical/stationery goods in Settle cannot gain if Booths also sells them. Ditto a café.The lady from the Spiral Gallery has little to fear because Booths does not sell modern art or jewellery.

The same goes for Mr Amphlett, from Wigglesworth, who heads Settle Chamber of Trade.

He is a publican, I think, and immune from Settle trade.

Booths needs stopping from expansion in Settle as new facilities will hit anyone in the same line of work in Settle.

Booths can carry on profitably without expansion. Settle traders, mostly, are ticking over.

Gladys Harrison, High Moor Cottage, Levens.

Sensitive souls

SIR - My, there are some sensitive souls about!

Well in order to appease the sensitivities of the three correspondents in last week's Letters to the Editor, let me inform them that I apologised in person to Mr Amphlett on Saturday if he had viewed my comments as a personal attack.

Let me also take this opportunity to wholeheartedly acknowledge and thank Mr Amphlett for the work he is doing on behalf of Settle.

During the seventies and eighties the Chamber of Trade was well attended and very effective due to the considerable work put in by the various chairpersons and committees, especially the Christmas committee.

Like any organisation, however, it tends to be that all of the work is done by a few on behalf of the many, as those people who were "the few" will testify.

That over with may I turn my attention to the comments of the three correspondents: The correspondents are quite open to "expand" or "clarify" anything they wish regarding my letter. I am, however, still searching for the "corrections".

Nowhere did I say that the Chamber represented only the town centre traders. What I said, on the basis of my fairly comprehensive survey, was that it is clear that the Chamber does not represent the views of the "traders" in Settle, and furthermore does not even appear to represent the views of its own members in Settle. That remains so.

Sad to inform, I have since visited a further two business owners in Settle, both Chamber members, neither of whom attended the meeting, and one of whom didn't receive the email publicising the EGM!

One correspondent says that the town centre traders' opposition is simply protectionism, in the traders' interest. Too right it is!

Many of the businesses in Settle are also "hands-on", "family run" (just like Booths), and have worked hard at their businesses for many years, and if you think these people are going to roll over quietly and risk everything they have built to accommodate the wishes of Booths, then you are seriously mistaken.

Strange, though, how the town centre traders are seen to be acting out of "self-interest" and yet Booths are portrayed as acting out of regard for the greater good of Settle.

The correspondents can dispute the results of my survey as much as they like, but not on the basis that one of them wasn't canvassed. The reason one of the correspondents wasn't canvassed was quite simply because they weren't open (not a personal attack, just a fact).

All your correspondents are welcome to the list of business owners I managed to contact, in fact you are all welcome to carry out your own survey!

The other trading outlet (I think), which was referred to by one correspondent, wasn't subject to, or party to, an S106 agreement. I think that's called fair competition.

However I would point this particular correspondent to the petitions and loud shouts that did arise when another business, namely the Falconry Centre, attempted to expand in a similarly unsuitable manner, which resulted in a public inquiry and was turned down!

If Booths genuinely want good things for all the community, then pray tell, what is stopping them? It wouldn't be self-interest would it? Heaven forbid, that only applies to the town centre traders.

Your correspondents (and those few attendees of the EGM) would have us all believe before long that the reason Booths offered to build and pay for a new primary school was because they were genuinely worried about the conditions for the primary school children of Settle, and that out of a further "genuine" act of concern offered to site it right next door to their food store to save poor mum's legs when she had to pick little Johnny up after school.

For those readers who might not be familiar with the S106 agreement as applied to Booths it is an agreement which restricts the type of goods Booths FoodStore is allowed to carry to safeguard, chiefly, the vitality and viability of the centre, and the range and services provided amongst others.

Now, to all those readers who might be a little bemused by the current furore surrounding Booths, the Settle "traders" (and I use that term loosely) are not (with a few notable and understandable exceptions) anti-Booths.

They are anti, only, the lifting of the S106 agreement so that Booths continue not to be allowed to sell, for example, newspapers, magazines and a number of other goods and services currently catered for in Settle centre.

I leave it for your readers to ponder whether allowing Booths to sell newspapers, magazines, et al, would significantly increase the number of visitors to Settle to ensure its viability and vitality, etc.

For those readers who do think like the correspondents, and the "attendees of the EGM", that visitors will plan their future holidays to Settle in the wholesale knowledge that Booths is now selling the type of goods referred to above, I gather that Tesco has opened up a Tesco Extra in Castle Douglas in Scotland, however before you all rush off and book your "hols" for next year, I understand that it, also, is subject to trading restrictions.

Ken Meredith, Car and Kitchen, Market Place, Settle.

Respect both views

SIR - It is a positive sign of a vibrant community when so many people feel free to express their views on controversial issues such as Booths expansion plans.

Booths is more than 1,000 times the size of my business, so, of course, I will be protective of my interests within my limited resources.

There are a large number of small shops in Settle concerned about their future in relation to additional planning permission Booths may gain.

These small shops should be entitled to express their views and have done so thanks to the Craven Herald.

I have confidence that, unless Booths withdraw its application, which it still could do, Craven District Council will soon make a decision based on established planning criteria including: the likely effect on future private sector investment needed to safeguard the vitality and viability of the centre; the likely impact on the turnover and vitality/viability of the centre and on the rural economy; changes to the range of services provided in the centre; impact on the number of vacant units in the centre; changes to the quality, attractiveness and character of the centre; and its role in the economic and social life of the community.

Ken Meredith and Steve Amphlett are both good local people and simply have different views on this issue.

I hope we can respect them both and wait for CDC's decision which I am sure will be based on current planning guidelines not on how nice we think Booths is or what it might do for Settle in return for the removal of any restrictions.

Tom Algie, Practically Everything, Market Place, Settle.

Silence over trains

SIR - You published a letter from Ian Bolton on June 1 about reviving and improving train services. I expected replies, but there came there none.

As he is beginning to think - as are many others from MPs, MEPs and the Lords - people in positions of power should be demanding more trains rather than a wish list based upon "wouldn't it be nice if"

Have we got more trains? No.

Network Rail has recently said that it is investing many millions of pounds to improve freight in Humberside. No sign of a shortage there.

Mr Bolton does seem to dream. He's quite entitled to that. What he declares would be nice.

Perhaps we should: 1, increase the number of members of the Skipton to East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership (there must be more than 200 to 300 interested in the project); 2, finish the business plan and confirm it is acceptable; 3, get our way.

M Swan, East Causeway Crescent, Leeds.

Green volunteers

SIR - I was most disappointed to read your editorial and article about the efforts of Settle to be the "greenest town in the Dales" with no reference to the waste paper and cardboard collection.

This has been in operation at least 35 years, originally by North Ribblesdale Rugby Club on Saturday mornings.

In the mid 70s it was taken up by the late Dr David Hyslop and Mr Len Dutton in aid of Settle Swimming Pool and it has continued to this day without a break, contributing about £12,000 per year to the pool There has always been difficulty in getting volunteers but since the closure of the Paper Mill, the system has been altered and people are urgently needed to help pack the skips at the Pool Car Park, even an hour per week would be a great help.

Surely ensuring this collection goes on should be a priority for "Settle continuing to be green".

Nancy Ellis, The Old Vicarage, Langcliffe.

Green and Brown

SIR - Last month Gordon Brown became Prime Minister - a new job, with a daunting number of challenges, of which one of the greatest is tackling climate change.

During the last ten years of the Labour Government, promises were made about cutting emissions of greenhouse gases. These promises have not been fulfilled, and new Ministers admit that they will not meet targets that were included in three of their election manifestoes.

Gordon Brown now has a real chance to make amends. Climate change is a high profile topic. Many people are deeply concerned about the changes which are all too obvious in our weather patterns and about the much more serious threat of drought and starvation in African countries. Many ordinary people take seriously the need to do what they can to change their ways, to help. But we need the government to follow up their promises with the necessary policies to take this matter forward.

The targets of the Current Climate Change Bill, are too low to stop dangerous changes of climate. And what about the emissions from aeroplanes flights which are hardly mentioned.

The current proposal is to monitor targets every five years which will almost always span more than one term of Government. This will make it easier for politicians to duck their responsibility.

For all our sakes, Mr Brown has to be Mr Green and he must start by ensuring that the Climate Change Bill leads to cuts in all our carbon dioxide emissions of at least three per cent each year.

I urge your readers to write to our MP - Mr David Curry, urging him to put his energy into supporting the Prime Minister to move this matter forward, urgently.

Elma Harland, Intake Lane, Grassington.

'Blooming' good

SIR - On behalf of all the staff, trustees and volunteers at Age Concern North Craven I would like to express heartfelt gratitude to all who helped in any way to make our recent Flower Festival at Coniston Hall such a huge success.

The event took place on July 13 and 14, in this our charity's 20th anniversary year. Visitors enjoyed stunning arrangements created by the North Craven Flower Club, with the theme of "The Coniston Estate". Well done and thank you to all the arrangers.

Special thanks to Mr and Mrs Bannister who made their home available to us, providing such a wonderful venue. The event itself raised £2,428.40 and we also received two separate donations of £500 enabling us to add £3,428.40 to our minibus fund. We have now reached our target and have ordered our new minibus, which will hopefully be on the road by the autumn.

Our transport service is highly valued by older people in North Craven. We are committed to enabling them to remain independent and know that many do depend on the minibus for shopping, for access to services and for enjoying outings. We look forward to providing this most crucial service for many years to come.

Christine Broadhead, Chief Officer, Age Concern North Craven.

Double whammy

SIR - Following the recent flooding around the country, shouldn't the concreting over of the field at the top of Gargrave Road, Skipton, for new offices for Craven District Council and Homeloan Management be given reconsideration.

If very heavy rain, as has been experienced elsewhere in the country, happened in the Skipton area, all the water which would otherwise have soaked into that field would have nowhere to go other than to run off into Gargrave Road and cause havoc on the roads and for residents lower down. Rarely are the road drains cleared along Gargrave Road, and they probably aren't big enough to cope with the extra run off in a heavy downpour. Unimaginable filth would be the result. A brownfield site should be a priority for such a large new development.

The proposed development of the site of the existing CDC offices would also remove a similar soakaway, making it a double whammy!

On a different subject, now that work seems to have come to a standstill on the Dewhurst's Mill site, why can't we have Brewery Lane reopened to reduce all the additional traffic down the High Street and for the convenience of residents and others who previously used the route?

Extra fuel is being used with the consequent extra exhaust fumes.

Surely it should be the responsibility of the developers to provide a safe route along Brewery Lane until work starts again, even if it is only one way (which it should be anyway).

Richard Colley, Park Avenue, Skipton.

Red Cross plea

SIR - In recent weeks hundreds of thousands of people at home have been victims of unprecedented flooding which has hit large swathes of England.

In response, scores or British Red Cross volunteers have been working tirelessly alongside the emergency and statutory services to distribute safe drinking water, bedding, clothes and food and to assist the homeless at rest centres.

We have launched Red Cross National Floods Appeal to support our own devastated citizens through the disaster phase and beyond and would urge people to donate whatever they can today on 0845 054 7200 or www.redcross.org.uk/floodsappeal.

Sir Nicholas Young, Chief Executive.