Letters to the Editor

The union continues to reject Arriva Trains Northern's offer of a four per cent basic pay rise. This offer is a fair one, if not one of the best seen in the rail industry this year, and the RMT has already accepted it for the fleet and administration employees it represents at Arriva Trains Northern.

The RMT last balloted its members a year ago; this was before Arriva Trains Northern had put an offer on the table for its conductors. Since then the company has put forward three different offers - all of which have been rejected by the RMT without it allowing its members the opportunity to ballot. The union has also refused to have realistic discussions on ways to increase their members' pay through modernisation.

The ten per cent pay increase that the RMT is demanding is unrealistic and for the sake of the wider industry and long-term investment in the franchise, Arriva Trains Northern cannot agree to it. We remain available for realistic talks with the RMT at any time.

May I take this opportunity to reassure your readers that we will be working hard to deliver as many services as possible during the forthcoming action planned by the RMT.

Ray Price, Managing Director, Arriva Trains Northern.

SIR - I was amazed to read that Luther Wright's Pet Shop was judged by Which? magazine to be one of the worst in the country.

I have been a customer of Peter's for about 30 years and my dad always used the shop. While it isn't in opulent surroundings, I have always found Peter and his staff to be completely honest and straightforward.

He knows and cares about animals in his care and I know that in the past he has refused to sell dogs or cats in December as he didn't want them passed on as Christmas presents. I have often heard him advising people on how to feed or care for their pets and even what not to get.

I hope this does not ruin his livelihood.

Helena Romanowska, Bradford Road, East Bierley.

SIR - I found it most insulting and unfair to suggest Mr Peter Booth had the worst pet shop in town.

I have been a customer of his for 30 years and have 100 per cent confidence in him and his partner.

I have always found his pet food to be very good quality.

The bedding in his cages has always been dry and clean, and the animals perfectly looked after. I use his shop four times a week, year in, year out.

Through the riots he had his window put through, and showed loyalty still to his customers.

James Holdsworth, Manningham Lane, Bradford 8.

SIR - I feel I must write to you in defence of Mr Booth at Luther Wright's pet shop.

I have dealt with the above pet store for some 45 years, both with Peter and his father before him. I have purchased stock in both fur and feather and many tons of feed over the years. In all my dealings I have always found Luther Wright's to be caring with their stock at all times.

It would seem from what I have seen and read on the matter that he has had no opportunity to put his case forward and I feel the accusers have no background in animal husbandry on which to make their claims.

E Crisp, Huddersfield Road, Odsal.

SIR - It has always been known that experiments on animals were not compatible with solving disease in humans, but money as usual ruled the roost. This week we have been informed that the biochemists have developed the Genome that is compatible to humans and has been developed in mice (only mice).

It is to be hoped that now there will no longer be any need to use vivisection methods on any other creature.

We have been informed that Cambridge University is about to open a new primate vivisection laboratory. These poor creatures will have holes drilled in their heads and other vital body organs. All will suffer deeply and all will die young.

How much longer are we going to put up with licensed cruelty of innocents?

Derek Wright, Westbury Street, Bradford 4.

SIR - What strange logic Mr N Brown, of Undercliffe, displays in calling for the demolition of the Manningham Mills chimney. Following his reasoning, surely Bramhope Tunnel should be filled in as, after all, 30 or so underpaid Irish labourers met their death during its construction.

And what about knocking down the chimney at Salts Mill, a place of similar enslavement? Of course, the Tower of London and the Colosseum in Rome will have to go, bearing in mind their historical associations with slavery, torture and oppression.

Surely, Mr Brown, it is better to preserve all places of historical importance to help remember whatever you feel about their past, good or bad.

Yes, it is true sweated labour was a feature of the earlier textile regimes, but in the context of the times, the conditions in the mills were no worse and in most cases very much better than in other industries. Three of my grandparents worked in t'mill as long ago as the 1880s and on the whole, their memories were happy ones.

To me and to many others, the chimney stands as a piece of superb Victorian architecture, and a symbol of a period in which this country's overall prosperity was founded.

Gordon Dean, Long Lane, Harden.

SIR - Please accept my modest contribution for Bradford's "image upgrading" as follows.

Give compassionate leave to the locked-up rioters and target them on the next buildings to be demolished.

Give the Freedom of the (inner) City to the travellers. Soon there would be a large area cleared around City Hall for motorised chariot races, mega pop concerts, mela, firework competitions etc.

Then pile all of the rubble into a giant dam between Lister and Peel Parks, andconvert the guided bus track on Manchester Road into a canal deep enough to take all the water from higher grounds into the dam.

This would create a real "Bradford in the sea" plus free hydro-electric power. There would be no more traffic problems. Boats would keep things moving.

On the top of our highest hill all the burned-out car wrecks should be welded into a giant climbing frame to provide exercise for our defunct joy riders/firebugs, and we should mark the city's gates by naming this construction 'Devil of The North', beating the 'Angel of the North' to second place.

If you think this is just an idiotic fantasy, look at our city's real agony of development in recent years, then think again - get real!

K Novak, Kingsley Avenue, Bradford 2.

SIR - Re the letter headlined 'Christian message' from Brian King (T&A December 10). If Mr King is looking for Christ's message, don't bother in Bradford or anywhere else for that matter. Christmas means nothing anymore as it's now a money machine for greedy retailers, so the religious message is non-existent.

The politically correct would have Christmas abolished. In fact they are heading in that direction already. If Christ's message is in there, let's promote it before it vanishes forever.

R Halliday, Crag Road, Shipley.

SIR - I am very pleased that projects planned under Bradford's bid to become 2008 European Capital of Culture are to be considered.

Bradford can still be the Capital of Culture without the official title.

I'd like to add a few more projects to the list which will be hugely beneficial and enhance Bradford:

A major new concert hall at the Odeon, an art gallery, a conference and exhibition centre and a local history museum.

There are several historic derelict buildings that could house these major new attractions in Bradford.

Jack MacPherson, Killinghall Road, Bradford 3.

SIR - I read that some joker of an adviser has suggested relieving OAPs of their bus pass perk and giving them to students and the unemployed to ease road congestion. Rubbish!

When a motorist taxes a car, insures it, pays petrol or diesel tax and of course buys the car, he or she is not going to leave it at home and stand waiting for a bus in all weathers or a train that doesn't arrive.

Think again and leave the OAP able to afford an extra visit to the shop or park or visit friends. After all, the unemployed should be looking for work. We know some jobs offer pay less than the benefits but there is - as you know - an answer to this.

R Agar, Folly Hall Close, Wibsey.