SIR - The problem with Bradford, like many British cities, is that public transport depends almost entirely on roads, many of which were not designed to accommodate current volumes of traffic.

Railways in Bradford are not put to good use. Bradford Interchange could be connected to places like Wyke, Low Moor, Oakenshaw, East/West Bowling, Wakefield Road, Laisterdyke, Tyersal and Thornbury simply by building stations on the lines. It isn't.

Forster Square could be connected to Manningham (the Bradford and Bingley stadium), Lister Park, Thackley End, and Apperley Bridge in the same way, but it is not.

In addition to this, all these areas could be connected to each other, simply by building half a mile of track between the Interchange and Forster Square. If the Sixties buildings around Forster Square are truly going to be demolished, it would be relatively easy to build these tracks overground, with a tunnel under Eastbrook Well.

Public transport is a very important part of a city's public relations, identity, and image. Look at how famous the London Underground is. It's worth lobbying the government for money for public transport, and finding resourceful and imaginative solutions. Manchester and Sheffield did it. Why can't Bradford?

James Trevelyan, Ashgrove, Bradford 7.

SIR - Politics is a tough business and explaining complex issues in a short letter is an almost impossible task.

First, Council officers have presented proposals for consultation, which may result in school closures. Why? There are too many school places and not enough children. This costs the Council more than £1 million per year. Government guidelines state we must address this issue.

Council officer proposals recommend the closure of specific Council homes and to divert resources to improving services for older people to remain in their own homes.

Independent reports state your Council is not spending enough money on such services. Incidentally, visiting Meadowcroft I was very impressed with their service. We'll see what the consultation delivers.

I can assure citizens of Bradford that I was aghast at the £4.6 million Bulls settlement, but still voted for it. Why? This Council inherited a contractual obligation to pay the Bulls £336,000 a year. This settlement saves more than £1 million.

Remember, politicians of all parties failed where Odsal Stadium is concerned. Now the Bulls are free to show us they can achieve what this Council and this Government couldn't do.

I'm happy to discuss any issues with residents willing to get in touch.

Councillor Robert Reynolds (Con. Wyke Ward), Westminster Crescent, Clayton

SIR - There is a police station in Lilycroft Road called "Lawcroft". Fifty yards from this there is a parade of shops, and a bus stop with its own bay for public transport. However, buses can't use this because it is full of illegally parked cars.

Consequently, buses have to stop in a position that causes a build-up of traffic behind, until it moves off.

It would only take the police station inspector 30 seconds to walk to this spot and stick fines on all those illegally parked cars. This, to me, would be a simple commonsense response.

These illegal parkers do not fear the police, and the public have no respect for them when they cannot sort out a simple problem on their doorstep.

Gary Lorriman, Long Lane, Harden.

SIR - As the Capital of Culture caper advances in overdrive/turbo would it be possible for the perpetrators of this fallacy to inform the electorate of the cost so far (to the nearest million).

It was launched by Joanna Lumley, who doesn't come cheap. Neither does the entire top floor of the five-star hotel in London with its expensive cocktail facilities and the ancillary costs.

Tell this to the elderly people who are anxious about plans to close down their residential facilities. The powers-that-be are penalising the very people who made Bradford what it was, strong and powerful, not like it is now, weak and trashy.

Bradford has every possible problem at its maximum potential regarding riots, violence, crime and drugs etc.

If it comes within the short list it will send a message to the felons everywhere that what happens in Bradford regardless of its severity is OK, and that's not fair to the police.

Maybe the Youth Parliament can advise on this dilemma!

Derek Wright, Westbury Street, Bradford 4.

SIR - All law-abiding Bradfordians should unite in condemning the "Fair Justice for All" campaign. The fact that such a campaign exists proves my point that the ethnic minorities lobby has too much power.

Shanaz Lal, the spokesman for the campaign, claims that Asian rioters should have got three to six months or community service. Exactly when did she become an expert on the British judicial system to make such a statement?

If people take such campaigns seriously, Bradford could certainly become the mono-cultural, drug and crime capital of Western Europe.

I Khan, Leylands Lane, Bradford

SIR - What mugs we are in this country, what pushovers. We allow a mob of Bin Laden supporters who rejoice at the Twin Towers massacre to hold a rally in London.

We allow a cleric who advocates murdering Westerners to live safely in our country. Another, who is a fund raiser and recruits members for terrorist organisations, is allowed all the advantages and comforts of our tolerant society.

With crime virtually out of control a farmer is languishing in jail for attempting to protect his own property, and career criminals, injured during robberies, are suing householders.

The European Union orders us to obey its laws while France and Germany do as they please.

Asylum seekers in Dover are given free medical aid while a little local girl with breathing difficulties is turned away from two surgeries. Asylum seekers receive free education at a time when schools in Bradford are plumbing new depths of mediocrity, and others are given free driving lessons!

I think people like myself would explode with frustration and despair at what is happening to our country if it were not for the release valve of the local Readers' Letters page!

Malcolm Wood, Westercroft View, Northowram

SIR - At the risk of repeating what many other residents of Bradford have already conveyed many times over, please Bradford Council, do something to alleviate and eliminate the huge dumping of rubbish and litter in our city.

Why not send out leaflets in relevant languages to all residents who are living in the "problem areas" of Bradford, asking them to be responsible for the clearing of litter from gardens and outside of their property.

Why are Great Horton Road and Horton Grange Road so disgustingly dirty? Where is the manpower and where are the street clearing machines? Why, I ask myself, do I pay rates?

I make a concerted effort to clear the litter which is carelessly thrown outside my house and back road.

We must all work together if our city is to move forward. How can we aspire to become the City of Culture when Bradford is knee-deep in rubbish?

M Oxley, Great Horton Road, Bradford 7.

SIR - In answer to Lynda Cromie's letter of August 24.

Yes, the rioters got off very lightly for all the harm and destruction they did to everyone, especially our poor brave police force, who were only doing their job.

If it was any of my three sons I would be ashamed and disgusted with them, and tell them they got what they deserved.

Where has all the discipline and respect gone, for other people and their property? Bradford people used to be proud of their city.

Sue Lynch, Bingley Road, Lees Moor, Keighley.