From the beginning it was obvious that they would have their way. It is particularly difficult to accept when the roads which are supposed to take the diverted traffic have not even been built yet!

Plain common sense suggests that the proposal should have been rejected as soon as it was put forward. If any ordinary person had suggested completely blocking a busy public road completely so far as vehicles are concerned, and graciously permit pedestrians and cyclists to pass through within certain hours, they would have been laughed at.

I understand that objections have been received from local residents, but of course the many future visitors to York who will expect to use this access to the city centre, are not in a position to express an opinion.

York traffic just about manages to keep flowing at the moment, how many more road closures can we take?

Pamela Brown,

Goodwood Grove,

York

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THE Conservative leadership campaign headlines should ring alarm bells for anyone, of any political persuasion.

They are turning tax into a sort of punishment instead of viewing it as an important expression of the way in which we all belong to, and benefit from, society.

How can some of our political leaders constantly talk of us having more money in our pockets by paying low taxes when they must know that that will mean less money for good public services from which we will all benefit at the point of need?

That approach means the money in our pocket will have to be spent on expensive private services. Are not the current state of dental and social care services examples.?

It seems that those who wish for low taxes for their own personal benefit do not believe in good quality public services for all, preferring a minimalist ‘it’ll do’ approach from which they, too, will suffer.

They seem to be making a virtue out of ‘man (or woman’) mind thyself’.

We must find common ground in the belief that there needs to be continuous solid funding for core public services which underpin community life, not the hit and miss what we can get away with approach currently applied.

Vital services include youth services, adult social care, refuse collection and road maintenance at local level.

We cannot ‘have our cake and eat it’. The results of this election will tell us all a great deal about the moral position of Tory party members.

S Young

Address supplied

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