Letters to the Editor

Out of approximately 3,500 deaths each year on Britain's roads 1,000 are due to inappropriate speed, ie going too fast for the road conditions at the time, not necessarily exceeding the posted speed limit.

That leaves 2,500 people dying due to tiredness, driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol and just plain carelessness.

Driving down Thornton Road at 50mph at 6am on a sunny Sunday morning is probably a lot less dangerous than driving at 30mph past Thornton Grammar at school finishing time on the same stretch of road.

Unfortunately, neither the speed cameras not the weirdbeard, treehugging, health-and-safety fascists can appreciate this and so normal sensible people end up paying yet another stealth tax.

To put things in proportion, while 3,500 road deaths a year is a terrible tragedy, 1,500 people die each year falling down the stairs!

Watch out, they'll be forcing us to live in bungalows next.

P Barker, Dalecroft Rise, Bradford 15.

SIR - I have recently had the misfortune to be unable to work due to illness, so I claimed benefit. It was deemed that I was not entitled to benefit as I had not paid in enough in the last three years!!

I have paid N.I .for the last 38 years, during which I have never made a claim. What is this telling me? Should I have claimed political asylum? Should I have hi-jacked a plane? Or maybe I can manipulate the system to my benefit (forgive the pun).

To my knowledge I have never broken the law but I am sorely tempted.

Lynda Hall, Pratt Lane, Windhill.

SIR - Unlike Mr Mozejko (Letters, May 29) I firmly believe that canal towpaths must continue to be open to pedestrians with or without dogs.

Many cyclists use a towpath as if it were a cyclists motorway. So if your correspondent is really keen on banning certain users, it must be cyclists, for it is they who have alternative provision and who through their great speed can be at odds with the peaceful and relaxing towpath environment.

Yet I am not, for the moment, seeking a ban on cyclists on towpaths. It ought to be possible for pedestrians (with or without dogs), anglers and cyclists to co-exist on towpaths.

Let us then seek to be tolerant and hear no more calls for banning present sets of users from towpaths.

Anthony Silson, Whitecote Gardens, Leeds 13.

SIR - In reply to Richard Mozeijko (Letters, May 29). I walk on the canal most days with my dog and I do clean up after him. If there were a few more dog bins on the towpath I'm sure more people would pick up their mess.

As for cyclists, what happened to the good old-fashioned bells? I've had a few near misses with them as you just cannot hear them. And how many have got permits which they should have to ride on the towpath?

Mrs C Grange, Glenfield, Windhill, Shipley.

SIR - Mr Sanders is correct to point out that trams could easily negotiate the difference in levels between Bradford's Interchange and Forster Square stations.

This is why that link is identified in a feasibility study, commissioned by Metro, into further light rail routes for West Yorkshire, beyond the current Supertram project in Leeds.

More than 20 corridors across the county, where further investigations into developing new rapid transport systems or extending the Supertram scheme could be carried out, are under consideration.

Detailed studies of any proposed routes would of course be needed and then the appropriate bids made to the Government through the Local Transport Plan process.

Councillor John Prestage, Bradford District Spokesperson, Metro

SIR - So at last we in Britain have woken up and realised that over the last year in Brussels a European Constitution has been drafted. The Convention that was set the task of doing this was no big secret. It has been meeting in public and has tried to seek the views of European society but until now in Britain it has been impossible to get a debate on the issue.

The draft constitution spells out what decisions should be taken at European level in an EU enlarged from 15 to 25 member states. This will give the kind of transparency about the workings of Europe that have never been available to our citizens before. They can clearly see what Europe is responsible for.

The proposed constitution actually gives more powers to national parliaments. They could have rights to initiate legislation and certainly have the right to intervene if they do not like the look of something coming from Brussels.

If the current hysteria about the proposed EU constitution makes us debate our relationship with Europe then so much the better. I am one of those who believe that we would have benefited from a debate and a referendum at each Treaty change.

Diana Wallis (Lib-Dem MEP, Yorkshire and the Humber), Land of Green Ginger, Hull

SIR - Britain faces a choice: to remain a self-governing democratic nation- state or join the fully-fledged European Union Superstate. It is proposed that the EU adopt a Constitution that would bind its members together and create what will be in effect a single centralised state.

This Constitution is being drawn-up by former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing, and if implemented democracy in Europe will be a thing of the past.

Even if the Constitution does turn out to be "a mere tidying up exercise", as Tony Blair claims, it is high-time that the British people were asked to give their consent to the already massive transfers of sovereignty from Parliament to the unelected institutions of the European Union.

The people of France, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Italy, Holland, Denmark and Ireland will have the opportunity to vote on the European Constitution in a referendum. We think that you should too.

Their governments, which presumably do not use spin to the same degree as our own, admit that the proposed EU Constitution is of great importance. Our Government should recognise this and let the public decide whom they want to be governed by (Britain or Brussels) in a referendum.

Robert Oulds, Director, The Bruges Group, Regent Street, London W1

SIR - The controversy over Wilsden Methodist Church has been on going for many years.

For some years that building was a danger to pedestrians and traffic yet not one councillor has made any report to reduce that health and safety hazard to the public, under the Health and Safety laws of this district council.

If the apartments are constructed, and its car park also, then we can see the failure of Health and Safety once again. The reason is obvious: more cars in Wilsden with only one main street and one alternative route (Crack Lane).

Wake up you councillors. The first priority is the safety and health of the growing children of the now and future generations.

J Clapham, Spring Hill, Wilsden.

SIR - Re "Villagers to be consulted over switch" (May 28).

This "consultation" took place at the Roebuck Inn in Greengates in the family room on three days. I went on the Thursday. There were two men from the Highways Department to answer questions.

There were three maps and two other plans showing where the Cenotaph could be moved. These documents were put on a notice board in Sainsbury's, opposite the automatic doors. Why were these important documents just put into Sainsbury's. Why not Netto's? Not everybody shops at Sainsbury's.

Let us have a proper consultation for all in Greengates, not just Sainsbury's customers.

Twenty years ago there was a consultation which was held in Greengates First School. There were well over 100 people in the school hall and not many wanted that memorial moving.

Obviously the highways department did not want another confrontation like that. I believe they deliberately kept this "consultation" low key.

This memorial has stood at the crossroads through two world wars and names have been added since. It's not just a cenotaph it's a garden, beautifully kept by the Parks Department. People sit there often to remember someone they loved.

It's a place of peace and tranquillity, despite the traffic.

Joan Foulds, New Line, Greengates