SIR - In reply to the article by your unnamed correspondent relating to Bradley canal bridge and its teething problems, I would say it's a great shame instead of only reading about its down side we didn't read about its good points from the canal people themselves.

They are very complimentary about the Bradley canal bridge and say how easy it is to use considering how difficult the old bridge was (I should know, I helped to move it especially for the older canal boat users on many occasions over the years) and that we should be very proud of it.

So my point in this letter is simple, instead of all the snide remarks we seem to read over the last three to four months we should all look at its good points.

Yes, I have been delayed, just like other people in this village, by its teething problems, sometimes, in fact, put down to human error.

It's a vast improvement on the old canal bridge in many different ways, safer for pedestrians, easier for the canal people to use and wider for cars and buses and other vehicles to drive over.

Just stand and look at the way it operates, it is really impressive the way it works. So let's move on and be grateful to North Yorkshire County Council for replacing the old canal bridge with the new one and cease the somewhat petty remarks from what must be a small minority.

Martin Smith,

Woodfield Drive, Bradley.

SIR - I read in the Craven Herald (August 22) that Network Rail are planning to erect masts along the route of the Settle-Carlisle railway.

Is it possible that the mobile phone companies could be persuaded to use these masts as a vehicle for providing better mobile phone coverage in the Dales?

Coverage is currently abysmal. I recently supported an attempt at the Three Peaks Walk and could not get coverage for the majority of the area. Summoning emergency help should an injury befall a walker would have been almost impossible.

Geoff Theasby,

Middleton, Cowling

SIR - I would like to thank the Craven Herald for its recent article on the difficulties experienced by those who suffer from dystonia. This is indeed a 'cruel' disease as Hetty Coleman described it, in part because it is very isolating for those who have it. It is extremely helpful to have this sort of publicity to raise awareness of this relatively unknown condition.

The Dystonia Society now has a regional structure and part of my job, as the co-ordinator for Yorkshire, is to set up and maintain support systems for those with dystonia and those caring for them.

If any of your readers would like to find out more about this, either because they are in this position, or simply because they would like to find out more about dystonia they can contact me on 015242-51408.

Sue Mann,

The Dystonia Society,

Newby

SIR - I would like to publicly thank Skipton and Ripon MP, David Curry, for the intervention of his office in getting my Child Credit claim processed and paid.

I had been trying since January to get the Inland Revenue to at least acknowledge that it had received my claim, but to no avail.

Repeated telephone calls to the Inland Revenue only drew responses of "we have no record of your claim", "this is an overflow office and all I can tell you is how how many calls we are handling today" and so on.

I repeatedly re-submitted my claim, in accordance with the telephone advice, only to be told repeatedly that there was no record of my claim.

Having finally had enough of the Inland Revenue, I decided to write to Mr Curry in July. His office telephoned me the day after I sent the letter and five days later had prompted the Inland Revenue into making a backdated payment.

I have been most impressed by the efficiency of Mr Curry's office, which is in marked contrast to the Inland Revenue - which, incidentally, is also dragging its heels on my tax repayment claim and, surprise, surprise, still does not reply to my letters.

Dennis Johnstone,

St James Court, Skipton.

SIR - Anti-social behaviour blights many of our communities. Yobs, vandals, neighbours from hell can undermine the spirit of a neighbourhood. Graffiti, litter and abandoned cars ruin our environment and encourage crime to spread.

Local people, taking local action, are critical to beating this problem.

This is why we have launched the Taking A Stand Awards. There are two weeks left before nominations close.

In every area people are already making a real difference and tackling anti-social behaviour in their communities - helping in a youth centre, running a residents' group or Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, or organising community clean-ups.

The new Taking A Stand awards scheme will recognise and support their work.

Working with the Co-op, Crime Concern and the National Neighbourhood Watch Association we will be rewarding individuals or groups who have taken a stand.

A top prize of £5,000 is available, with an extra 30 £1,000 awards - all the money will be invested in the winner's community to help support work to tackle anti-social behaviour.

We must work together if we are to make a difference.

The closing date for nominations is September 13 so I urge you to nominate someone who already has made a difference, by logging on to www.takingastand.org.

Hazel Blears,

Home Office Minister for Crime Reduction and Policing.

Queen Anne's Gate, London.

SIR - Margery Price, self proclaimed "former occasional green roads rider with friends" takes Wendy Milner to task for assuming that the anti-motor lobby have sole rights to countryside appreciation (Craven Herald Letters, August 15).

Margery would do well to go back on to the green lanes (they are not 'roads' by any stretch of the imagination) to see the damage that 4x4s and trail bikes are rapidly doing to these peaceful, ancient monuments in their "appreciation of the countryside".

At the end of last month I did so to see for myself on Langber Lane, between Settle and Otterburn, after seeing reference to it in the common sense letter in the Herald (July 18) from farmer Robert Phillip, who clearly suffers at the wheels of off-roaders in this area. Sections of the route had been well and truly trashed and, as this was summer, the state of the lane in winter can only be imagined.

I would also suggest that Margery patronises one of the local country shows as I did at Gargrave last Saturday and takes a long, hard look at the photographs on the stand of the Yorkshire Dales Green Lanes Alliance, which clearly indicates the damage off-roaders are doing in numerous areas of the national park.

If this damage constitutes a part of their appreciation of the countryside, then off-roaders need to revisit their dictionaries and contemplate carefully what they find under that word.

Mark Willingham,

Riverside Walk, Airton.

SIR - Margery Price has obviously not been reading both sides of the green roads argument that is regularly in the press - and not only the Herald.

She might think about the fact that vandals who wreck phone boxes, bus shelters, public toilets etc, also enjoy what they are doing, it is just that their wrecking tools are much less expensive.

She has, I know, this completely wrong idea that motorcyclists - or bikers as they are now called - are responsible people. That the minority are and the majority are not is clearly obvious if one travels anywhere in the Dales (nay, the whole country) especially at the weekend.

There is so much evidence that this is true that anyone who argues to the contrary must be both deaf and blind.

T Hall,

Haw Park, Embsay.