I AGREE with Mike Laycock’s column on traffic congestion on roads such as the A19, especially as I live off the Fishergate end of it (“Time to ‘think big’ on traffic?”, The Press, April 27).

We’ve endured some gridlock horrors, not least during the current Wheldrake and Fordlands junctions works.

May I add a really careful look at river ferries along the Ouse? I mean a proper joined-up regular scheme that at least gives those who can walk to various stopping points an alternative to driving townwards (and dumping their cars in the already squeezed few roads that so far have resisted the overly-expensive York Res Parking scheme).

Dot Nicholson,

Fishergate,

York

Trying to sort out issues on recycling

Further to Dot Nicholson’s comments about all sorted material being just put in the bin lorry after being carefully sorted by residents: she may like to know what happened here this week.

A bin man came along dragging two large green bins. Into one he placed the paper and cardboard and in the other the plastics and cans.

When both were full, he waited for the bin lorry and then proceeded to empty one into one side of the lorry with the other emptied into the other side.

From my position I could not see whether there was a dividing partition but I assume that this was so, although when on the railway we were always told never to assume.

R Hutchinson,

Sherwood Grove,

Beckfield Lane,

Boroughbridge Road, York

Our chance to help farm animals

CAN your readers help to change the lives of billions of farm animals for the better?

The RSPCA believes that the current minimum legal standards for farm animal welfare are just not good enough.

For example, meat chickens can be housed in near darkness without natural daylight; hens which lay eggs can be kept in cages with each allocated less

usable space than an A4 sheet of paper; pigs can be kept on fully-slatted floors with no straw to lie on. In addition, dairy cows can be housed indoors all year round without ever setting foot outside to graze.

But we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change that.

The Government is drafting a new Agriculture Bill at the moment - in anticipation of us leaving the EU - and it wants to encourage the public to contribute their own thoughts and ideas.

This is a fantastic chance for animal lovers to persuade the UK Government to include policies and incentives that will improve farm animal welfare in England.

If your readers want to make a difference to the lives of farm animals they can tell the UK Government what they believe the future of farming should be via our action page at www.rspca.org.uk/farmanimalaction

Marc Cooper,

Head of Farm Animals,

RSPCA, Horsham

Change in speaker for support meeting

THE next meeting of the York Haematology Support Group for people dealing with blood cancer will be held on Thursday, May 3 at 7pm at Huntington Working Mens Club.

Patients, families, carers, friends and newcomers are welcome, no need to book just turn up on the night. There is ample free parking.

There is a change of advertised speaker. Andy Wilson from Yorkshire Cancer Research will be coming to do a presentation for us as the original speaker is unable to attend.

Carol Miller,

Priors Walk,

Acomb, York