Not so fast on the rail route excitement

SIR - Whilst Stephanie Harrison of Elslack (‘Hellifield rail route would be simpler’, Craven Herald letters, February 22) may have an interest against reopening of the Skipton to Colne railway line – closed in January 1970 following consent given by the then MP for Blackburn, Barbara Castle – she is correct that there is an alternative railway route via Hellifield.

Furthermore, there is an hourly service between York, Leeds, Bradford and Halifax via Hebden Bridge to Burnley, Blackburn, Preston and beyond known as the Copy Pit route.

Consequently rail traffic between Skipton and Colne would be almost purely local and would require a large annual subsidy, in addition to the huge capital cost estimated at circa £100m.

The first physical obstacle, immediately beyond what was Skipton North Junction, is Skipton bypass, built over the trackbed.

Next, the long metal bridge over the river Aire has been demolished, as have several others

Restoration of the level crossing over the A56 at Earby is inconceivable; the route has been obliterated at the Colne end.

Supporters of the proposal make two major incorrect assumptions.

The first is that it would enable better access to Manchester airport. That would not happen because it would always be as quick, and more frequent, to reach Manchester Airport via Leeds – particularly from further down the Aire valley – even in the unlikely event that any train from Skipton via Colne would actually reach Manchester Airport, given that it would require to crawl around and through Manchester’s four stations on what is already the most congested stretch of two-track railway outside London, recently misdesigned with a new flat, instead of grade-separated, junction.

Second, when you last ran an article on this subject, supporters claimed that freight users would benefit from the line, which demonstrates woeful ignorance of the dynamics of railway freight operation. Other than intermodal (container) trains, which would not use the route as distances are too short to be economically viable, in Britain freight is only carried by rail where the customer can provide a full trainload – for example from Swinden quarry at Cracoe. There would be no such traffic offering which would use a reopened Skipton-Colne line. Even if there were, it would be an easy matter to operate via Hellifield as until 1990 did trains from Clitheroe Cement to Darlington and Newcastle, before British Rail increased carriage charges to such a level that this flow defected to road.

Most startling was the claim by the Chief Executive of Drax power station that, if reopened, the line would reduce the time taken to transport biomass from Liverpool to Selby from 9 hours to 3. This heavily subsidised stuff travels almost half way round the globe from South America, so a mere 7 miles more via the Blackburn-Hellifield freight line, which carries fewer than a dozen trains per week, would make no difference.

Moreover this absurd comment ignores the fact that there are four other – more direct – trans-Pennine rail routes.

Robert H Foster, Winterburn Grange, Skipton

Level crossings won’t be a feature of plan

SIR - May I say that I entirely agree with Stephanie Harrison on the subject of level crossings.

Level crossings are not mentioned by SELRAP, because modern rail developments do not permit them. When the costs are assessed, it will be without any level crossings.

May I also draw attention to the group title, which is “Skipton to Colne.”

Since this odd obsession with Hellifield keeps coming up, I wondered how practical an option it would be to get from Skipton to Colne by this route.

Suppose I want to go to work in Colne on a Monday.

There is no train from Skipton to Clitheroe at present, but Skipton to Hellifield is about 14 minutes, so Skipton to Clitheroe, allowing for reversing, and assuming no time-tabling problems, would certainly take at least 20 minutes.

There are already trains from Clitheroe to Colne, with a change at Blackburn, but the best is an hour and 25 minutes. That gives a total commute of at least an hour and 45 minutes - assuming Burnley to Colne isn’t cancelled, as often happens.

So forget the train via Hellifield, because the X43 bus goes from Skipton to Colne in only 35 minutes (but only by ignoring Earby).

However, if we renew the link from Skipton to Colne, the journey time would drop to 15 minutes or less.

While there is no timetable as yet, the Airedale line goes from Skipton to Keighley in 14 minutes. This is a similar distance, with two stops rather than one, so the estimate looks a fair one.

Just saying...

David Walsh, Western Road, Skipton

Who should pay for crucial road bridge?

SIR - Yet again there is much talk concerning the problems at the Kildwick level crossing, where traffic can be held up for as long as 50 minutes in the hour.

This problem is exacerbated by roadworks on Station Road, and by traffic bypassing the crossing and then turning right down Station Road to return to Skipton Road.

The problem is also worsened by the increasing road and rail traffic, indeed it was only a few years ago that we were praising the increased use of rail on that line, both passengers and heavy freight.

It’s clear that a bridge at the Kildwick crossing is needed, especially as that road leads to Airedale Hospital, and its emergency vehicles. But why should council tax payers pay for the whole of that necessary bridge?

It is a shared crossing, used by rail traffic and road traffic, therefore logic would appear to dictate a shared cost.

In addition we read that some housebuilders are making colossal gains from the Government’s help to buy scheme, so much money in fact that three executives at Persimmon were awarded £218 million in bonuses this year, although they have seen those reduced to £167million after shareholder outcry.

Many more houses are planned, so let’s have a three-way split on the cost of that bridge: the railway companies which use it, including railtrack; the housebuilders who gain consent to build within say a five-mile radius; and the government, which has seen fit to throw so much money at housebuilders that £100 million bonus for one person alone was seen as reasonable.

If the government can afford that, then it can afford to put money into essential infrastructure; that one person’s proposed bonus for the year would have built 10 bridges – and still left him a £40 million bonus.

Alan Perrow, Bannister Walk, Cowling

Health service plans do not make sense

SIR - Castleberg Hospital fills a gap in primary care which cannot be achieved either by Care in the Community or in a nursing or care home.

Having trained staff available 24/7 is obligatory in the treatment of patients with terminal illness, when attention to intravenous infusions and/or syringe drivers is needed.

This cannot be done legally in nursing or care homes except when fully qualified nurses are employed.

There is a need for a halfway house for people being discharged from hospital but who are not ready to return home, causing bed blocking in the acute hospital.

Castleberg not only provides nursing care but also in-house physiotherapist to speed up mobility and recovery. This is not available in care or nursing homes.

Also the money is available for repairs - why not use it?

My reasons for not choosing Care in the Community are twofold.

Bed blocking is caused when a patient cannot be discharged from the acute hospital into a care or nursing home until finance is put in place by the local authority who are responsible for all community funding. This is done on an individual basis and can often take time, unless the patient is self funding.

Castleberg, of course, is part of the NHS so that point does not arise.

Also, when it is said that beds could be “earmarked”or “made available” how would that work? Presumably if in nursing or care homes they would have to be paid for, occupied or not.

Community services are already stretched past breaking point (2x20 minute visits in 24 hours for a terminally ill person with cancer (at home) is just not good enough in a civilised society. I know this because my daughter is a district nurse.

Many experienced nurses are leaving the profession altogether due to an overbearing management attitude, insufficient reimbursement of travelling costs in their own cars, and a general disillusion at not being able to do a proper job. Newer recruits are leaving because the responsibilities are too onerous for newly qualified staff who are insufficiently supported at nursing level.

Many community carers are also leaving to join private firms who pay more and where conditions are better.

I think the proposals are a disgrace

It is already thought that change is inevitable because “all change Is good”. In the years to come, people will realise what they have lost and it will be too late.

I believe that Castleberg has been allowed to fail, in order to introduce new ideas which have patently failed elsewhere.

Having lived inCraven for fifty five years, worked as, and been married to a health care professional, I find the new plans and the deviousness by which they are going to be implemented hugely disappointing, but not unexpected.

Scottie Brewster, Thornber’s Croft, Town Head, Settle

We should be eating less fish and meat

SIR - It was interesting to read about Dr Wheelock’s book, ‘Healthy Eating - The Big Mistake’, which I hope will help a lot of people (‘New book is challenging the traditional thinking’, Craven Herald, February 22).

However, there was one part which I seriously question - that of eating more fish and meat.

Animal agriculture and mass-produced meat is already having an impact on ecosystems and the environment. Thousands of acres of forest are cut down to grow cereals and soya, mostly for animal feed as they are never let outside to graze.

The effect of these animals being given antibiotics which when eaten may be passed on to humans is unknown.

Animal cruelty in meat produced this way has increased. We are already over-fishing our seas, with alarming consequences for birds and mammals depending on fish for their food.

Rather than eating more meat and fish we should be looking at eating less and safeguarding our planet for future generations.

One easy way is to go to meatfreemonday.com. Watch and make your decision.

Jean Toner, The Green, Skipton

Allegations should not put a stop to giving

SIR - I am writing on behalf of Skipton Refugee Support Group.

Like many others, we were appalled to read the allegations about Oxfam workers in Haiti and elsewhere.

But we are agreed that this does not in any way detract from our admiration for all that Oxfam do, both in relation to refugees and more generally.

We are heartened that Oxfam’s senior leadership have taken full responsibility for the actions of its former staff and are taking all possible steps to prevent a re-occurrence.

We are concerned at the government’s request to Oxfam not to bid for future aid projects, and hope that the action the organisation is now taking will rapidly restore trust and enable this decision to be reversed.

We hope that all its supporters will continue to support Oxfam and its partners in its vitally important work on behalf of the most needy and vulnerable people of the world.

Charles Dobson, chairman of Skipton Refugee Support Group

Was mud warning for farmers an April fool?

SIR - Whilst it was very amusing, your April Fool’s Day article “‘Don’t leave mud on roads’, farmers warned” (February 15) was over a month too early.

So as you’ll need another piece for April 1st, can I suggest a lighthearted article claiming that the police are going to take action regarding the number of farm trailers, towed by tractors, which display no number plate (and often the one on the tractor is invisible) and which very often have no lighting - and possibly because of this, no insurance.

I’m sure we could all enjoy this as we wash the mud off our cars, our bikes, children’s bikes and everyone’s footwear.

David Moore, Gargrave

Officers cannot be in two places at once

SIR - Whilst I applaud any technological advances that keep police where they should be - on the beat (‘Smart technology to put police on beat’, Craven Herald, February 22) - no amount of computer software will transport a prisoner to far away Harrogate whilst leaving the officer on the beat.

Following the Police and Crime Commissioner’s decision to close Skipton and other custody suites, there have been times when our warranted officers are miles away in Harrogate leaving the area virtually unpoliced.

Technology is vital to the fight against crime but officers can’t fight it when they’re miles away because of a money saving exercise.

Paul Morley, Ribblesdale Estate, Long Preston

Pothole is an accident waiting to happen

SIR - Anyone travelling along Broughton Road into Skipton during the last few weeks can’t have failed to see the rather large pothole down by Morrisons as they will have had to swerve out into the middle of the road to avoid it,thus putting themselves and oncoming traffic into what could be a dangerous position.

As this is directly outside the Craven Council offices, anyone going in there must have noticed this pothole so it seems rather strange that no-one from the council has bothered to have arranged for this waiting-for-an-accident -to-happen danger to be filled in before it is too late.

Perhaps this reminder will see it filled in at the earliest opportunity.

Patricia Mason, Roughaw Close, Skipton

TV soap much better in previous years

SIR - Having recently started watching classic ‘Coronation Street’ on ITV 3 from the mid-1980s, that I remember watching as a young man, how superior the gentle comedy of Jack and Vera, Alec Gilroy, and for me personally, the wonderful malapropisms of Hilda Ogden - for example “I am speaking hypodermicably,” (meaning ‘hypothetically’, of course,) - was.

Strong female characters like Bet Lynch, convincing story lines and believable scenarios make it much better than the far-fetched sensationalism that it has become.

Richard Howard, Romille Street, Skipton

Enjoy your dinner and support good cause

SIR - Having friends and family round for dinner is one of the nation’s favourite things to do – over a quarter of us do it at least once a month.

And with Spring just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start planning get-togethers and look forward to great food, relaxed conversation and making memories with loved ones.

That’s why Plan International UK’s new fundraising event, Do Good Dinner, is so exciting.

It’s the perfect reason to get everyone together for a good cause.

All you have to do is host a dinner party, and ask your guests to make a donation (perhaps what they would normally spend on ordering a takeaway or going out for dinner).

The money raised will go towards helping some of the world’s poorest children, particularly girls, to have access to vital resources like education and clean water, as well as campaigning to end harmful traditional practices including child marriage.

Hundreds of people across the country will be taking part in ‘Do Good Dinner Week’, from March 5.

But if that doesn’t work for you, do it whenever you can – perhaps you could cook a family roast for Mother’s Day, or have a Bank Holiday barbecue.

It doesn’t matter whether you cook up a culinary masterpiece, or stick with your trusted signature dish.

Your next dinner party is guaranteed to be so good, because the money you raise will make such a difference to so many children.

To sign up and receive your free fundraising kit full of party essentials like invites and menus, visit www.plan-uk.org/dogooddinner

Danielle Atkinson, Head of Individual Giving – Plan International UK, Finsgate, 5-7 Cranwood Street, London, EC1V 9LH