YEP Letters: August 12

Change priorities at junction

John Wainwright, by email

Whilst creating a new transport hub for Morley, and changing the town centre one way system, here is another change that could be made that would speed up traffic flow.

At the junction of Commercial Street and Peel Street all through traffic (buses included) has to give way to traffic on a minor route, 
one half of which is a cul de sac serving only a car park and rear access to a handful of properties.

Changing the priorities at that junction to make Commercial Street the major route would represent a significant (and not too costly) improvement.

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Is HS2 scheme an expensive white elephant?

Richard Saberton, Wakefield

With all the hoo-hah over HS2 kick starting the ‘Northern Powerhouse’, improving city links and generally bringing the ‘flat cap lads’ into the 21st century maybe we shouldn’t get too excited and maybe take a step back.

The south has relied on train travel far more than the north and has done so for a considerable time being ideally suited having large populations in very close proximity and mass transport being a must have.

However, consider the state of the southern railway services, where timetables are a best guess and journey times are three sometimes four or more times greater than expected. We need to be careful that we don’t end up with a very expensive white elephant on our hands and no matter what central or local government says it’s going to be you and me paying for it!

On the past history of most mass transit proposals it will not be as good as predicted, be run if not owned by a foreign company (probably French) and controlled by a union hankering after the glory days when every train or omnibus had a ticket collector, guard, inspector, fireman and driver!

The roads and motorways are bad but at least you can go when you want and the unions won’t hamstring you. Admittedly you have no idea how long the journey will take or if the road will be open but at least it’s Highways England running it.

Standards 
of English

Terry Maunder, Kirkstall

I agree with the ideas expressed in the letter by L N Hirst (YEP letters August 10) and the standard of English displayed in certain quarters.

Yesterday I heard a news report in which the reporter stated that “trains were acting unreliable”; there’s also the Yorkshire Tea advert where one person states that “we do things proper round here”. On major news programmes they constantly mix up singular and plural words nowadays : two I’ve heard recently included “there is a lot of reasons for this situation” and “there is a lot of teams who could do well”. Now we have the Rio Olympics and the constant use of phrases by athletes such as “and yeah/but yeah/so yeah” every few words, combined with the constant overuse of the two adjectives “amazing” and “emotional” as if no other adjectives exist.

The use of hackneyed cliches such as “it’s my dream”, “I want to live the dream” and “there are no words to describe” followed by lots of words to do just that infuriates me. Know what I mean? At the end of the day.

Brexit... at a snail’s pace

John E.Downing, Morley

Since the decision of the UK to leave the EU, it is strange that the EU problems are now receiving less publicity than the whingeing remain contingent.

Greece in particular is still in dire straights, unable to repay its debts and requiring further financial assistance, Angela Merkel is still adamant that her policy on immigration is paramount, despite many Germans voicing otherwise, and Tusk and Juncker appear to have taken a political sabatical. Other member states are enforcing their border controls and in the meantime the directive from the British electorate to our Government is progressing at a snail’s pace.

Get the momentum for our Brexit moving with all haste.

Shortsighted over Brexit

John Cole, Baildon

THOSE who voted for Brexit were essentially buying a pig in a poke.

The Leave side never set out an agreed destination for our nation after exit, and no detailed road map of how to get there. Too many voters were seduced by the siren cry of “take back control” and are in danger of stranding HMS Britannia on the rocks.

Our national behaviour is in danger of being as crass and short-sighted as the household that got tired of its abode, packed up, left and locked the door without having a new address to go to.

A further analogy that springs to mind – that of a marriage in difficulties. We were wed to the EU for over 40 years, but are now seeking a divorce. Here we should heed the wise words of the 18th century writer, Samuel Johnson: “Marriage has many pains, but celibacy has no pleasures.”

Thanks for kindness

Margery Goulden, Leeds 21

On Friday 5th August I fell in Otley park (breaking my ankle) and a very kind couple, Shirley and Ken (and their little dog) from Horsforth came to my rescue and drove me to the hospital. I have no contact details for them. Can I through the medium of your paper thank them.

Interest rates and pensions

David Collins, Scissett.

I AM a bit confused as to why base rate at 0.5 per cent or 0.25 per cent of itself is such a disaster for pensions.

After all if you have £100,000 invested at a rate is 0.5 per cent that amounts to £500 per annum interest and at 0.25 per cent it is £250 per annum. Both are very small beer so why is one more disastrous than the other.

If you are talking about the hidden aspects of interest rate movements and how they are seen in the financial world, then your guess would be as good as any guru.

As far as Mark Carney is concerned, he was the only person during the whole EU debate to come out with any credit.

His measured tones and experience showed through and I am sure things in the finance arena would have been much worse save for him.

Government should do more for refugees

Sandra Berry, Leeds 6

I write to encourage readers of Yorkshire Evening Post to mark World Humanitarian Day on 19th August by asking ourselves how might we all contribute to a more humane Britain.

The United Nations created World Humanitarian Day to celebrate the ordinary heroes around the world working to save lives and alleviate suffering when disaster or conflict strikes.

Yet even here in Leeds, we can contribute to the humanitarian cause.

Right now, the UK government is making decisions on how many places of sanctuary to offer to refugees from Syria and elsewhere.

You often hear it said that ‘charity begins at home’ and one small thing we can all do is to tell our government that we stand for a country based on compassion, inclusion and treating people with humanity, wherever they’re from.

Please visit http://careint.uk/refugeepetition16 to sign a petition calling on our government to do more to protect refugees, here and across the world.

And please ask your friends and family to do the same. In the relative comfort of Leeds it is the least we can do.

A clean shave

Ernest Lundy, by email

although I’ve been known to sport a beard from time to time, it’s a treat to see clean shaven young men taking part in water sports at the Rio Olympics. Perhaps they will reverse the present trend and we will once again see what I call ‘more presentable men’ going about their daily business. While the share price of razor manufacturers will be on the up! I make no excuse for my own occasional lapses. Bedsides at the age of 89, I have only myself to please.