THE residents of Green Hammerton and surrounding villages have every right to be angry about a proposal to build a 2,700-home settlement on valuable farmland in the Hammerton area.

The officials for the development at a recent public meeting suggested that it was a fine balance between Flaxby and Green Hammerton and that the latter had better transport facilities with two railway stations.

Does the official not realise that this line is archaic with no real modification since it was built?

Signalmen still have to walk across the road pushing a wooden gate to close off road traffic for the oncoming train. The next job is for him to walk the full length of the platform to collect the tablet from the driver.

This is an important safety feature for trains operating on a single track.

It can hardly be called 21st century technology.

Whatever planners think, we live in the age of the motor car mainly for our independence. Who would walk to a railway station and wait on a cold, wet platform for a train to arrive to be conveyed to a destination not always convenient for the purpose?

If some commuters could be encouraged to use this form of transport it would have very little impact on the traffic flow. The new roundabout on the A59 at Flaxby has been a white elephant since it was built and would cope with the traffic from a new settlement.

Unfortunately planning officials are unlikely to listen to local residents for their genuine concern about any future development.

It won’t ease the strain to go by train.

Ken Thorpe, Ebor Way, Upper Poppleton, York