YEP Letters: May 11

Police role should be apolitical

John Appleyard, Liversedge

AS one person who returned the crime commissioner voting paper unmarked and unspoilt, I hope there’s no implied 
criticism that I am neglecting my democratic duty.

You see, I do not agree with PCCs being affiliated to a political party.

The police service is and always should be apolitical, so its bosses should be.

I might have voted for a candidate who declared “independence”, depending upon his/her priorities, but there wasn’t one.

If the system rejects my “none of the above” vote, then it’s time for a system rethink.

I do have a political viewpoint and vote accordingly in local and national elections,

Campaign is based on people’s fears

Derek Barker, Moortown

David Cameron is now suggesting that if we vote to leave the EU that this could destabilise Europe to the 
point of starting a war between the European nations as in WW2.

He conveniently overlooks the fact that the NATO Alliance which has nothing at all to do with the EU was created to safeguard against that happening, along with the proportional representation voting system that was imposed by the allies on Germany and Italy after the war.

He also overlooks the fact that the UK could not possibly become involved in such a war as our armoured vehicles are now being manufactured in Spain using Swedish steel and that most if not all of our ammunition is made in Belgium.

Then we have the Chancellor George Osborne saying that if we leave the EU that this would put up mortgage interest rates and bring about financial hardship for the working people of this country, though by his omission it would not apparently cause any harm to the already well off.

The huge influx of EU migrants is bound to have a detrimental effect on the economy for the ordinary working people of this country by driving down wages and increasing demand for housing which in turn increases property prices which 
benefits Mr Osborne’s rich chums.

The more that Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne try to persuade us to vote to stay in the EU the more that they come across to me as being desperate, because they so far have not and very likely because they cannot, said anything positive that would be of benefit to the ordinary people of this country if we vote to stay in.

Their remain campaign is based purely on negative scaremongering and until they can come up with some positive beneficial reasons for us to remain in the EU I feel quite sure that the vast majority of the British people will remain unconvinced, this pair clearly aren’t cut out to be cheerleaders.

Posters were damaged

Michael Lowry, Leeds 16

As Conservative candidate in the recent local council elections for Roundhay, I extend my congratulations to Eleanor Tunnicliffe (Labour) who secured a clear majority vote.

I agreed to stand for this election on the understanding that I had an opportunity to compete in a fair and democratic election. What transpired was mostly as expected, however I was seriously disappointed in finding that my campaign was blighted by some whose approach to democracy is more akin to third world behaviour than an enlightened civilised society.

I am sure that Eleanor and the leader of the Labour Council in Leeds, Councillor Judith Blake, will join me in condemning those individuals who took it upon themselves to damage or remove the majority of the posters that I legitimately placed in support of my campaign, whilst leaving adjacent Labour posters untouched.

Others will be well aware of the amount of time and effort involved in preparing, placing and when needed replacing these posters.

Electric buses not trolleybuses

Christopher Todd, Leeds 6

While we still live with the threat of being saddled with damaging NGT trolleybuses, the rest of the world continues to move on to modern technology with the use of electric battery buses.

In April came the confirmation that Moscow, with the largest trolleybus fleet in the world, now plans to phase it out, remove the ugly wires and replant trees on the boulevards, giving priority to pedestrians and cyclists (Shaun Walker, The Guardian, April 12, 2016; Claire Dufay, Russie Info, April 21, 20126).

In notoriously polluted Mexico City the authorities are now thinking of introducing 600 electric buses, again to replace trolleybuses (Business News Americas, May 9, 2016; Prensa Latina News Agency, May 10, 2016).

In 2011, the trolleybuses in the Swiss town of La Chaux de Fonds were given a temporary reprieve, but the city has now finally decided it cannot afford to maintain them (Serge Jubin, Le Temps, May 3, 2016).

The Italian city of Bari shows – like Leeds – just how obdurate some municipalities can be.

Various trolleybus schemes there have never worked properly, and there are even problems caused by the unused overhead wires, some of which have now had to be cut down (Silvia Dipinto, Bari Reppublica, April 7, 2016).

The latest ploy has been to send three seven-year-old unused vehicles to Lecce, ostensibly for testing, with the pious hope that the Bari system might finally start in June.

However, as the vehicles do not meet modern standards, it is thought that they will probably be scrapped (Quotidiano di Puglia, April 22, 2016).

When will trolleybus fanatics – still trying to reverse Wellington’s decision to abandon trolleybuses – get over their nostalgia and see where the future lies?

Bank of Grandparents!

Ernest Lundy, by email

For the first time today I heard a new phrase: ‘Bank of Grannie and Grandad’! This was on the radio when it was stated that old people, who usually have a bob or two, may be granted 20 year mortgages at the age of 65.

When someone asked what the situation would be if borrowers passed away before making full payment, he was met with the reply “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” More than likely they would have to, than not!

But when one thinks about it the term ‘Bank of Grannie and Grandad’ though not a registered establishment, does indeed exist. Having worked all their lives, people in that position are regarded as such by government, families and other financial institutions which, knowing of their financial situation, (they know everything) attack those funds mercilessly.

Through ridiculously low interest rates obtained from investment, taxed still, helping out their progeny in so many ways, and having any remaining capital sequestered to pay for their care, should they end up in a nursing home.

Where would a 20 year uncompleted mortgage repayment be then?

In spite of all that it must be admitted that the ‘Bank of Grannie and Grandad’ does exist, and is adequately named. One however, that operates only by extending payments to others, intentionally or by having little choice. Even so it could be the largest banking industry in the world, but has never been recognised as such, by myself at least, until today.

Do they think of disabled?

David Speight, by email

One thing local authorities overlook when putting surfacing on our roads is the pain it can cause disabled drivers and passenger in private vehicles of public transport.

I caught the bus from Wakefield to Leeds in East Ardsley, which went up Main Street, East Ardsley.

Each time the bus went over a speed bump a sharp pain shot up my spine. If I as a disabled person with back and neck problems suffer like this then one would assume others like me also suffer.

It is fine Leeds City Council say - the buses etc are wide enough to miss the bumps, and that may be the case if the 
road was kept clear and all these roads had no parking, which of course would be unpractical.

When driving one’s self or being driven in a car, yes the vehicle speed can be reduced however even at less that 5 mph it is still a painful jolt.