YEP Letters: February 5

Truly proud to call Morley home

Sarah McArthur, by email

Following the letter published January 27 regarding the need for Morley to become ‘more welcoming’, I felt compelled to respond to your reader, who appears to be claiming Morley is akin to a hostile version of Cocoon.

I’m not native to this fine city – moved here in 1998 when I was 18 - and moved to Morley in 2004. Unwelcoming? Gubbins! Like any close knit community, when someone ‘new’ arrives, they are always met with mild suspicion.

I can honestly say I quickly felt very accepted and part of Morley. I’ve now got some fantastic friends, who are as close as family and friends from where I grew up, met some remarkable characters, had some great and downright bizarre times.

I don’t know how old the ‘older folk’ are that your reader refers to as unwelcoming but I remember many a Saturday afternoon in 2007-2008, sitting with the old boys in the pub, cracking on, betting on horses and listening to their stories. Sadly, quite a few of them are no longer with us but despite being a Northern lass in her late 20s, I was welcomed into their company, no questions asked. Happy times indeed.

I agree Morley needs continuous development but if you look a little more closely, you’ll see it goes through it all the time. It’s not all growling and snarling outside of charity shops. Look for the unique, independent gift shops on Queen Street; visit the popular tapas and Indian restaurants; enjoy a Chardonnay in Cucina; take a Sunday afternoon stroll around Darmouth Park; come see the St George’s Day parade; head up to WicketFest at the Cricket Club; get singing along to the fantastic local bands that play at the Cross Keys; get pampered at the beauty spa that trains people to get a trade; sweat it out at the leisure centre with the friendly staff.

You’ll find all kinds of people and I feel sorry you have had such a bad experience because there are some wonderful people in Morley. We have the good, the bad, the rich, the poor.

Maybe if you gave them a chance, they probably would return the favour. And you could truly be proud to call it home, as I am.

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Morley folk are friendly

Allen Smith, by email

Regarding the letter in the YEP, January 27, I cannot agree with the view on Morley people being unfriendly.

Initially, Morley people may at first appear wary of a stranger, talk to any of them in a friendly manner if you want to be accepted, I have never in my long years, 80 plus, met any one who was stand offish.

Morley folk are proud, warm, hearty and friendly, they say what they mean, and mean what they say. I have met people who have convinced themselves that what has been said has another meaning!

Morley has a proud history, pop to the library and read The History of Morley, not excluding we had the first Liberal Prime Minister.

One way source of money

Malcolm Shedlow, Moortown

I am a pensioner and in 60 years of driving have been fortunate not to have had an accident.

I have just received a letter from my insurers to say because of all the claims they have had from other drivers, they will be putting MY premiums up.

To me that’s like me going into a bread shop to be told we’re charging YOU more for your bread because WE had a robbery the other day.

I went online to try to get a cheaper quote only to be told it was double what I am paying now.

An amount far exceeding the £500 I know would be the payout if I were to be in an accident as the insurers would not repair my car,they would just write it off as it’s 11 years old.

Other than having to be legal, there doesn’t seem to be any advantage. It seems to me that it’s a one way money source but not to the motorist.

Don’t ignore the experts

Percy Stern, Leeds

When I read that white lines are being erased from busy roads throughout the country in an attempt to slow motorists down, I wondered if the lunatics had taken over the asylum.

At a time when every experienced driver to whom I speak agrees that the quality of driving is steadily diminishing – not signalling in advance for a change of direction and failing to take up the correct position for a turn at a junction are but two of the many errors one sees every day – along comes this barmy suggestion. Now these hopeless drivers are to be given carte blanche to drive on the wrong side of the road without committing a provable offence.

The experts are being ignored. The head of roads policy at the AA says “ without exaggeration it is true to say that a simple pot of paint can save lives. In particular, highly visible markings at the edge and centre of the road that can be seen on a wet night are enormously cost effective in saving lives”. Add to this the number of roads that are now unlit between midnight and 5.30am and it sounds like James Bond’s “Licence to Kill”.

The only reason that I can see for this dangerous suggestion is the cost saving in not buying expensive paint together with the cost of carrying out the work. It is to be hoped that our council will ignore this hazardous idea.