Local councillors putting politics before our city’s housing needs in the creation of a Local Plan (Press Comment, November 28)?

How unexpected, not. The sooner we get 47 independent councillors who put York first and are not beholden to party politics, the better.

Why do people feel the need to be cushioned by, and hide behind, any political party?

Where is their independent spirit? Our local councillor, Mark Warters, does a great job because his only concern is for his ward and its residents. He has led the way, another couple have followed, and let’s hope many more do.

Geoff Robb, Hunters Close, Dunnington, York

Inducing traffic

Adrian Ward is quite correct to state (Letters, November 23) that no-one will drive aimlessly along a new road just because it is there. He is incorrect however, to refute the phenomenon of induced traffic. This has been observed by transport professionals repeatedly since 1925.

The UK Government accepted this officially in 1994, following a report by its “Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment”.

The SACTRA Report concluded that capacity increases via new roads or widened existing ones, will typically generate an extra 10 per cent of journeys in the first few years, and over 20per cent in the long term.

Many drivers will change their route, having perceived a “faster” option. Modal shift towards the car will be encouraged, at the expense of short journeys previously made by walking, cycling and public transport. Destinations will be changed, to ones that are more easily reachable eg retail centres.

The frequency of journeys will increase and timings changed particularly in favour of peak time trips.

Lifestyle decisions about where to live in relation to employment will be made, based on the presence of a new road. And commercial development along a new road will add further to traffic volumes. Longer term, land use patterns will changed We can never build our way out of congestion. Those who fail to learn the lessons of history will be condemned to repeat them. City of York Council’s Local Plan Working Group please note.

Paul Hepworth, Windmill Rise, Holgate, York

St Leonard's boost

We are delighted to announce that the St Leonard’s Hospice Christmas Fair on Saturday made a whopping £7000! That’s the most we’ve ever raised at our Christmas Fair so we’d love to say a huge thank you to everyone involved - staff, volunteers, visitors and everyone who ran a stall, donated items, baked cakes, prepared prizes, folded raffle tickets, promoted the fair, put up gazebos, dressed up in festive costumes, marshalled, cleaned, packed up and generally supported this great event.

We appreciate all the support and hope that everyone who attended had a great day - we certainly did. The funds raised will go towards maintaining the outstanding care we’re so proud to be able to provide.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Sarah Atkinson, Events Fundraiser, St Leonard’s Hospice, 185 Tadcaster Road, York

Rugby Union vs League

Like Geoff Robb (Letters November 21) I was brought up with rugby league, supporting Castleford.

At Grammar School, I played rugby union. Moving to York, in the 70s, it was not the done thing to play both codes, and through a 15 year playing career, I never played a game of league. A 20 year refereeing career followed.

Yes Geoff, there is a lot of kicking out of hand in union, but like league, this is an essential defensive play as well as an attacking option.

Keeping players 5 metres back at rucks and mauls, like scrums, might open things up, but the ref has enough to concentrate on without watching something else.

Line outs and scrums are necessary to get the ball back into play after a stoppage.

Line outs offer a great scoring opportunity. I will admit, union scrums can be a real time waster, especially if they keep collapsing, and these days, as “feeding”

seems to be allowed, the role of hooker is virtually redundant. League scrums are quicker. Should a form of league scrum be trialled in union? A step too far? Even Geoff may agree.

Mike Harrison, Nether Poppleton, York