YEP Letters: February 9

Graffiti wall is disgrace to city’s history

J Westerman, by email

I read a letter in the YEP on February 2 by Steven Mathers, in respect of a graffiti wall that has been painted at the bottom of Leeds market, facing on to the new development that will house the John Lewis store.

I absolutely agree with these comments, this wall is a disgrace to the city of Leeds and its history. Why oh why has this wall been allowed to be painted in graffiti? Why can’t we have a wall that is tasteful and in keeping with the vibrant city of Leeds and all its past history that people would love?

Leeds is steeped in history, this wall should be depicting this. Whoever gave permission for this mess to be done should be made to remove it at their expense and not of the ratepayers of Leeds, it is such a disgrace and I hope it will be removed sooner rather than later to attract people to our city not detract them when they are faced with this rubbish.

It is an eyesore! I hope when the owners of this new property see this they will air their view, I would think that they will be distraught when they see this. There is far too much of this graffiti turning up around the city and it’s not nice or even interesting. There was also an article in the paper later in the week from Councillor Harper, saying what a historical city we have, don’t these people speak to one another?

I have been going to Leeds city market for over 70 years and love it has character, and always has had. Bring some of that character back and make that wall more tasteful with history of that area.

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Public transport priority

James Bovington, Leeds 18

I enjoy driving my car as much as the next person and there is a case for major road infrastructure development.

Leeds deserves a full orbital ring road like Manchester’s M60 or the motorway ring roads which surround French cities like Amiens or Valence.

However public transport should be the priority. Hence in east Leeds available funds could be directed towards the reinstatement of the rail line towards Wetherby at least as far as Thorner. Meanwhile in the north-west it is disappointing that only road options are available for serving LBIA - yet linking the Harrogate and Ilkley rail lines via the airport would vastly improve public transport access to an area whose roads are already at full capacity.

Then of course there is the matter of White Rose where a station could remove a possible half a million car journeys annually. I thought that Leeds was an ecologically sound pro-public transport authority. Clearly I am mistaken.

Show was food for the soul

Ernest Lundy, by email

Avoiding so much of the dross on TV, I have been in the habit of watching BBC 4’s ‘Inspector Montalbano’ series, including the last,’ Young Montalbano’.

They were easy viewing, with the wonderful rustic old architecture of Sicily used as a backcloth. Based on Inspector Montalbano’s detective work, the story lines were different and pleasantly plausible. Being somewhat hard of hearing these days the subtitles were helpful and did little or nothing to detract from the plot. I hope there are more to follow, although author Andrea Camileri, at the age of 88 is, in his own words, becoming less productive.

Last night however, a programme on the same channel was about the life and times of this unique person, Writer, poet, sometime actor, coach and a man with a wonderful philosophy on life. This 50 minute programme was a kaleidoscope of his life and interests, showing also the beauty of this part of the world, to which he loves to return; the greater part of his life having been spent in Rome.

I commend this programme, revealing as it does so many parts of his life, and what unwittingly, we may experience in ours, there being so many parallels with his own; especially if we have lived a long life. Please, if you can do so, do not miss this pearl of a programme, which goes under the title ‘Montalbano and Me’ by Andrea Camileri. It is food for the soul!

Get on with EU referendum

Nathan Garbutt, chairman, UKIP Pontefract, Castleford and Normanton

David Cameron has been attempting to reform our relationship with the EU, he wanted a four year ban on migrant benefits, he didn’t even ask for a restriction on the open door movement that we have to nearly half a billion people.

We can in the first few months stop benefits, but from years two, three and four bring them up to the current levels. This is pretty weak stuff!

No treaty change, no repatriation of powers, no ability to control our own laws, our money or our borders. Now let’s get on with the referendum.

What it means is more Europe with an EU army, EU accession of Turkey, and EU primacy over our laws and our courts.

There is no fundamental reform, there’s some fiddling around the edges on migrant benefits. I absolutely predict that the effect of this will not be to reduce the numbers coming to Britain but given the huge increase that is coming to a minimum wage, to our living wage, even more people will come.

I suspect the European Council will approve this document. They are giving us nothing and the sooner we get out of the EU the better!