YEP letters: December 14

Park and ride buses, the Christie TV drama, nuisance calls and wasting NHS money are all topics up for discussion on our feedback page today.

Priority for Park and Ride buses

Sam Hamblett, Cross Gates, Leeds

Now that the council have decided to turn to the park and ride option for the city’s transport needs for the city of Leeds, they must not go down the same road that brought us the white elephant that is the guided bus lane on York Road.

Why they didn’t they just introduce a bus lane up and down York Road was beyond me. Passengers now have to get off the bus in the middle of York Road, press the Pelican button and stop all the traffic to cross the road.

a bus lane would not have had that problem.

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These park and ride buses must have bus lanes where possible and priority at traffic lights if they are to move people about the city of Leeds.

Chilling portrayal of Christie

John Roberts, St John’s Court, St John’s, Wakefield

WHAT a fine and suitably chilling portrayal of the Christie murders we are seeing on BBC1 television (‘Rillington Place’).

‘10 Rillington Place’, the film made back in 1971, utilised the original self-same street in West London before it was demolished. Richard Attenborough played Christie and John Hurt played Timothy Evans, the hapless innocent who hung for Christie’s vile notorious crimes.

The original film is very sinister and creepy, yet never over-dramatised, made all the more so because of the complete absence of any background music. As a result, you are drawn into the film from the word go.

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I thought that Samantha Morton, playing Ethel (Christie’s wife) and Tim Roth playing the villain himself, were both excellent in the new drama. Christie was brilliantly portrayed as a man who could be utterly creepy yet also possessed a strange charm over his victims.

The sets too - the interior of the house, and garden - were accurately and atmospherically achieved. One mild criticism is the scene supposedly showing the street in Halifax where Christie and his wife originally lived did not look at all like the town. A few millstone grit terraces required there!

Also, a ubiquitous sound throughout the 20th Century in British life, up until the late 1960s, was the background whistle of a steam train. In this latest TV drama, set in the late 40s and 50s, we hear the very different mournful cry of an American steam engine. Anyone over the age of 55 will have memories of what a British steam train sounded like.

Apart from these quibbles, full marks to the BBC for a very engaging drama.

Glad I’m 63 and not 23

T Maunder, Kirkstall

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So train fares are up by 2.3 per cent? This will not affect (or “impact upon” to use the current inaccurate use of that word) politicians who travel first class then claim it back from our purses. Who is in charge?

Chris Grayling MP has absolutely no experience in this field. He says that the problem is that the train companies and “bosses” do not communicate with each other. It’s 2016 and this is the state of the transport system and structure. When, oh when, are people going to realise that these politicians are an utter waste of space? None are qualified in any way to do their designated jobs: Hunt seems to think that serving tea from a trolley gives him huge insight into running the NHS. That is not intended as an insult to the real people who do it but him - talk about being out of touch with reality.

Now look at “Brexit”: not a clue between them. I’m glad I’m 63 and not 23 - what a future if I was!

Terrible waste of NHS money

Carith Archer, Hunslet, Leeds

Back in 2010 when the coalition Government took power one of their first promises was to reduce the cost of NHS purchasing of goods and equipment.

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This was to be reduced by 22 billion pounds by astute cost effective buying.

We now hear that a large pharmaceutical company has been fined over 84 million pounds for excessive charging of drugs to the NHS. This scandalous practice was due to the drug being manufactured and sold for less than £3 but charging the national health service more than £67 for the same drug. As this practice has been going on for over four years I wonder how many millions if not billions of pounds our NHS has been paying out to well known drug companies for this criminal practice.

I also place the blame on the NHS buying managers for accepting this and not batting an eyelid while someone somewhere is lining their pockets.

In praise of Polish pilots

G A Hall, Alwoodley, Leeds

MAY I agree with Dr Michael Lowry (The Yorkshire Evening Post, November 3) regarding the massive contribution of the Polish people during World War Two. The famous speech by Sir Winston Churchill, praising ‘the few’ in the Battle of Britain not only included British pilots, but also Polish, French, Czech, Canadians, Austrians, New Zealanders etc. even a few from the USA.

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There was a shortage of pilots in the RAF. The Polish airmen were in the main experienced and older men, having fought the Nazis in Poland before defeat by the Germans. At first the RAF ‘top brass’ did not think the Polish airmen competent, but soon realised they were highly skilled and battle hardened. Two RAF squadrons 302 and 303 were formed for the Polish pilots, flying Hawker Hurricanes.

145 Polish pilots fought in the Battle of Britain. 31 were killed. 303 squadron achieved the highest number of destroyed German aircraft (126).

One airman was ace pilot Josef Frantisek, who downed 17 aircraft. Many men were decorated for their bravery, in Poland and Britain, including the DFC, Distinguished Flying Cross.

It is interesting that Hurricanes destroyed more aircraft in aerial combat in the Battle of Britain than the Spitfires (Spits were in short supply). History gives more credit to the Spitfire, probably due to its glamorous image.

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Almost 20 thousand Polish airmen soldiers and sailors fought for he Allies during World War Two. I will conclude with a quote from the Head of Fighter Command RAF Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding, “Without the Polish contribution to the Battle of Britain the outcome would have been very different.”

Job calls are a nuisance

R Kimble, Hawskworth

Numerous readers have written in about nuisance ‘phone calls. One type that seems to have developed recently is that of receiving an automated call in a mechanical voice about a job one has shown no interest in. I had 3 yesterday. The “voice” speaks incredibly quickly so you’d have to listen about 5 times to get the ‘phone number and job reference. If you don’t press”1” at the end the call returns, unwanted. This is very intrusive and unwarranted so please stop doing it, you recruitment agencies. I get numerous job alerts so I would apply if I was interested, wouldn’t I ?

Also, it drives me mad when my CV states “Leeds or within 10 miles of Leeds” for employment and teaching opportunities I get ‘phone calls or emails about jobs in Europe and beyond: do these people actually read the CV? If I wanted to work in Dubai, it would say so on my CV.

Need tougher deterrent

Mrs Joyce Eveyard, Toronto Place, Leeds

THANK you for printing the horrific irresponsible racing of two mature men, which resulted in the death of Major Gilbey’s only son. Your article will aid him in his quest to bring more realistic sentences, as a deterrent. Tough situations require tough treatment, Major Gilbey needs all the help he can get. With heartfelt sympathy, I agree entirely with his quest, and endeavours to make our roads safer for everyone.

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