Another year when Evening Press readers have demonstrated the breadth of their interests and the depths of their feelings. Once again the letters page produced a crop of interesting contributions although a few inclined towards the zany.

The 1997 summary included a plea that some correspondents, having raised an issue or asked a question, might let us know the outcome. Alas the past year has also left us in suspense on more than one occasion.

Twelve months ago, the round up of correspondence clearly upset more than one reader. There was no intention on my part to offend or to award prizes for quantity. As always I marvel at the range of subject and ingenuity of some contributors while respecting (and equally enjoying) a single letter.

The absence of a general election certainly slowed down comment from prospective parliamentarians. Even Ted Batty of Selby was less forthcoming than usual.

So what prompted readers to grasp pen or punch keyboard in 1998?

Letters covered so many topics that subject selection is difficult. The following brought more than the odd response or raised a particular issue.

Early in the year Peter Mullen was under fire. His acerbic weekly column sparked off further comment as the year progressed. As a journalist, he remained unfazed by criticism, as did John Potts and Julian Cole.

By February the Park and Ride debate was raging. Our councillors may claim to be listening, but were they also reading public reaction? Saddam Hussein's name was also prominent in readers' letters.

Whether the A64 gaps should be closed continued into March. Praise for York District Hospital was prevalent, as was criticism of some local churches that appeared to cream off a percentage of charitable collections taken at funerals.

Two subjects dominated April; the proposed pylons in the Vale of York and Peter Mullen's book about the sentimentalisation of modern society. Then May saw a plea from the United States: "don't spoil York".

By June the Coppergate development around Clifford's Tower was causing concern. Those not sports minded objected to their TV programmes being interrupted by the World Cup. The suggestions of a monorail from Monks Cross to the city centre brought mixed reactions.

The sometime beleaguered local police found welcome support in July. Then followed criticism of the French street market. The museum strike brought its own response from both sides.

August saw the arrival of Chris Titley as Letters Editor. It also had Margaret Lawson saying that she was not going to write a further letter to the Evening Press. Thankfully she did not carry out her threat and continued to interest us throughout the year.

Understandably the Castle Museum strike continued to arouse passions. So did the controversy over the exact speed clocked by an errant driver.

Readers were quick to support the initiative of the private loo operator and to decry its short-lived community convenience. In October as the nights drew in, cyclists without lights, whether on or off pavements again incensed readers.

In November, the Chief Constable gave a categoric assurance that the proposed administrative changes to police boundaries would not reduce policing on the ground. Our readers were not too sure. Nor were they happy about the revised Coppergate development plan which rumbled on into December.

The year concluded with views on hunger striking, John Potts dislike of winterval and criticism of Julian Cole on almost everything. A final seasonal comment came from an American correspondent who asked why York did not have a nativity scene. Why indeed!

Throughout the year there were requests for information and help followed by welcome letters of thanks.

All these topics and more accounted for 1,800 letters (virtually the same as last year) with 57 on sporting issues. They came from the pens of 1,236 individuals or organisations. Many correspondents from previous years have been missing in the past 12 months. If the threat of the annual survey has acted as a deterrent, my apologies.

Once again more than a third of the letters were identified as coming from women. As ever Mrs Goodrick, Tadcaster's strict grammarian, kept her profile high with 17 contributions. A new contributor, Heather Causnett caught our attention with 29 contributions. Finally Margaret Lawson, on occasions with husband Jack, gave us food for thought 33 times including criticism of me on two occasions!

The Usherwood/Hepworth argument over car versus bike rages as always. Bryan Lawson wrote 16 general letters and three on sporting issues. Keith Smith of Poppleton appeared in print 20 times - or was it 21 as one letter from his address came from a Kevin Smith?

Which leaves only one other person to mention. He claims not to have a car which may give him more time to write letters. And the Evening Press is not the only publication to carry his correspondence. Bryan Marlowe, where do you get the time? Forty five appearances in our local paper last year. Wow!

Whether or not you appreciate this summary, Chris Titley hopes that all readers will keep the letters coming and I promise that I will read each one printed.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.