I was quite amazed to read the quote from Matt Freckelton, the Conservative candidate in the Hull Road Ward by-election, saying that “it is only Conservatives that will protect the greenbelt and our open spaces” (The Press, May 6).

As the Green Party Candidate in Hull Road Ward and co-founder of Frack-Free York, I’d like to ask what his personal views are on industrialising our countryside with gas wells?

His party seems hell-bent on doing this, regardless of local opposition and the risk of water pollution and continued climate changing emissions.

Regarding one notable local open space, the Windmill Lane Playing Fields, I am actively involved in supporting the campaign to keep this much loved resource ‘open space’ for sport and recreation.

As he’s from the party of making as much profit as possible, I expect he’d be happy to see it built on ... but prove me wrong, Matt, and come on our community protest walk on June 3. Starting at 10am, we will be walking from the playing fields to their official replacement, on Haxby Road, which is supposed to be no more than 15 minutes away for local people to access.

John Cossham, Hull Road, York

Greenfield housing land at a discount

COUNCILLOR Stuart Barnes is in no position to criticise the sale of 29 Castlegate at a 25 per cent discount.

Not that long ago Labour pushed a giveaway sale of building land to their favoured partners the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust.

What is now known as Derwenthorpe was sold for £5.65 million – £15 million to £20 million less than its open market value as greenfield housing land.

Despite this massive taxpayer-funded discount, it still did not meet the Labour council’s 50 per cent affordable housing requirement.

When it comes to incompetence and a disregard for sound financial management Labour just cannot be beaten.

Matthew Laverack, Lord Mayors Walk, York

Thank you to caring hospital staff

THROUGH The Press I wish to thank all the caring staff at York Hospital for the care they gave my parents and to York Cars, who provided us with a quick and reliable taxi service. It’s nice to know people do care.

Mrs D Ankers, Brunswick Street, York

Tower car park is a potholed disgrace

IN reference to the reader who sent the letter about Clifford’s Tower car park, I too used the car park the same evening after a theatre night out.

I do not know how the council can charge when it is in a disgusting state with all the potholes.

One of the staff from the council should try pushing a wheelchair through it, or a child’s buggy.

Also it is lethal for elderly people on a dark evening and I am surprised there haven’t been any casualties, tripping over all the uneven surfaces.

Mary Strickland, Hugden Close, Pickering

Ask people in the know about jams

Just what does Paul Hepworth (Letters, May 10) know about driving? He has admitted in the past that he has never driven a car and probably never will so therefore he knows nothing about driving. Why is it every time someone writes in about motoring he has to come out with more of his anti-car rubbish. It is about time he stopped going on about something he knows nothing about and it is also about time the council asked people who have to drive on the city’s roads for a living about how to tackle congestion in the city.

Ian Foster Hawthorne Avenue Haxby, York