YEP Letters: October 16

Environmental protection from the EU

N Bywater, Morley

The European Union has a strong track record of environmental protection, it will be a shame if we leave.

Last week Leeds City Council announced its plans for the Government funded ‘clean air zone’. Fortunately, they have not placed any costs on the ordinary motorist driving their own car. Throughout the late 1960s and 70s, the UK was frequently called the “sick/dirty man of Europe” had the UK still been the ‘dirty man of Europe’ this may have been very different. Because of the Euro emissions standards on vehicles, that started with Euro 1 in 1992 and the latest Euro 6 in 2014, our cities now have cleaner air than years gone by, but there is now a need for tighter standards.

Other environmental protection standards have seen many improvements, cleaner drinking water and tighter restrictions on sewage released into the sea. Let us all hope that if we do leave the EU, our future governments will put our health before profits.

Residents’ anger at A61 proposals

John M Collins, Leeds 17

Mrs P Harrison’s excellent letter (YEP, October 11) deserves close attention by Leeds City Council. They seem to be unaware of the anger of the overwhelming majority of local residents at the absurd scheme of introducing a bus lane and cycle path on the A61 Harrogate Road, reducing the carriageway to one lane.

Having been a regular user of the 36 bus (and the other local bus services) for over 60 years at all times of the day, I might be expected to view with favour the proposals. But there is in reality no demand for such changes. We hope that the present alterations to the junction betweeen Harrogate Road and the Ring Road, perhaps by traffic lights at peak periods, will alleviate any problems – though a flyover has always been the obvious solution. In normal weather conditions there is no substantial problem – certainly not such as would justify what is proposed.

We have seen in the last few weeks the appalling delays to traffic when the road is limited to one lane, even though that does not happen at rush hours. And why does it not happen at rush hours? Because all involved realise that to do so would be utterly disastrous, with traffic backed up as far as Alwoodley Gates.

The scheme has already produced over 2000 protests by local residents. Can we hope that the council will use a little common sense and limit their scheme to a park and ride development?

Traffic fears over road plan

Anil Suri, by email

Having seen the article in the YEP, October 11, I would like to strongly give my views on the plans for bus lane for Harrogate Road/Alwoodley.

Traffic is already very congested during peak times and introduction of a single car lane will be a complete chaos. It will create more problems during winter. Not everyone travels on buses as not everyone works in the city centre. What about people who have to travel on the motorway or outskirts of Leeds? Buses are not convenient for everyone. The plans are not practical and is going to cause more problems for the daily travel to and from work. Please do not waste public money on such schemes. Listen to the people who are affected. This is very concerning for what is already a very stressful working pattern to get to work through the ever increasing traffic.

Proposal will creat ‘chaos’

Shaun Kavanagh, by email

Why is it Leeds City Council (LCC) are the only people in Leeds who fail to understand that the intended A61, Leeds to Harrogate development, will create chaos? Residents have already voiced their objections but will LCC listen?

Such a development will achieve absolutely no positive outcome but will create longer journey times especially at peak periods, danger for pedestrians and, more importantly, children travelling to and from school, perhaps the most important times of the weekly days. The development will also create slower moving traffic thereby increasing air pollution, driver frustration etc. LCC’s intentions are without real justification when considering a further cycle track, as those already in situ are rarely used and have proved a blight on the landscape.

To reduce a dual carriageway to a single lane is nonsensical on such a busy road when the more sensible solution would be to permit the use of the nearside lane to certain vehicles at peak periods restricting other vehicles by way of the appropriate signage. This already works in other areas so why try and repair something not broken on the A61 when such a move would retain the dual carriageway for the benefit of all vehicles?

LCC state that their aim is to make travelling around the city as “fast and efficient” as possible and that public engagement is “central” to that work. Absolute tosh, LCC are not listening but are clearly intent on making every resident’s life in the area a misery, and those further afield who travel the A61.

Shop has been a ‘lifeline’

A Ward, Leeds 8

It was interesting reading the article about the new “shopping experience” at Thorpe Park, which followed on from your special report the previous day asking everyone to support our local shops.

All this appears in the same week that Marks & Spencer closed the local food hall in Crossgates in order to open up in the new shopping centre.

This wonderful facility is inaccessible to people without a car as there is no decent bus service out there and it is too far to walk.

The Crossgates shop has been a lifeline for the many older people living in and around the area and must surely have been a profitable business. One would have thought that a massive business like M&S would have had the funds to keep both shops going.

Your newspaper is asking us to support our local shops but it works both ways and the local businesses need to consider the needs of their customers occasionally.

Sturgeon’s plan is a just dream

Terry Watson, Adel

Nicola Sturgeon is once again talking about independence for Scotland. We should be so lucky. Who will pay for their prescriptions, university tuition fees, and retirement homes at the moment paid for by the English?

The Barnett Formula will end, without which the country will be bankrupt. At the moment Scotland’s deficit is 14.8 per cent of their GDP, the UK’s is four per cent. The oil revenue which was going to pay for everything is now down to £60m per year, down 97 per cent.

Her hopes of joining the 
EU once we leave are just a dream. Even if their application were to be accepted, where would the joining fee come from?