GORDON Brown weighs into the Labour leadership election (Press 17 Aug) with a thinly veiled attack on the communist Jeremy Corbyn. That will just about seal it for Corbyn then.

Geoff Robb Hunters Close Dunnington

 

WHY destroy the fountain in Parliament Street? Make the seating area round the fountain wider with a back rest.

Fill the middle with flowers.

On the subject of seating, where have all the seats gone from Parliament Street? Poor visitors have nowhere to sit.

I have just had a day in Carlisle, the main street is full of benches for everyone to sit and watch the world go by.

If we encourage visitors we should cater for them, also for the people who live in York.

Mrs Pat Johnson, Grampion Close, North Lane, Huntington, York

 

I ATTENDED one of the recent series of “Devolution” meetings held by City of York Council, to consult on which way to go under the Government’s recent localisation agenda.

York has two broad options: to amalgamate with other urban conurbations such as Leeds City Region, or with a Yorkshire-wide combo, which would be a predominantly rural area. The travel infrastructure needs of rural and urban areas differ vastly.

Leeds City Region has access to ringfenced pots of Government cash for the sustainable travel measures which York will continue to need, if it is to achieve the prime goal of its Local Transport Plan, to further reduce car dependency. We are already set to benefit from some of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s funding.

By contrast, existing Local Enterprise Partnerships have a very poor track record of spending wisely on transport. They have invested significant quantities of their “Local Growth Deal” cash from Whitehall upon big transport schemes to open up new land for development as housing or business parks. Many are new link roads or new or enlarged junctions.

These new roads may not be “cycle proofed” so creating barriers to the use of pedal power for local journeys.Future residents or workers are much more likely to need to drive, and the distances may be too great for most people to access these locations by foot or by bike.

York needs this approach to transport spending like a hole in the head.

I’m pleased that the present debate has given all who wish to, an opportunity to reflect on the way ahead. I hope that our present links with Leeds will be reinforced.

Paul Hepworth, Windmill Rise, York

 

ON Sunday, October 18, until Friday, October 23, in this the Centenary of the Great War, I will be leading a coach party from the north of England to the First War Battlefields in Belgium and France.

We will visit Flanders, Arras and the Somme. It will be possible to arrange personal visits to a family member’s grave, memorial or an area of a battlefield which has personal significance.

We have a few places left and I will be happy to supply full details to your readers if they contact me at 2 Eden Gate, Warcop, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, CA16 6PL, telephone 017683 41060, or by e-mail at johndaviddraw@gmail.com.

David Raw, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria