SIR - After ten years of negotiations between Leeds City Council and the landowners, the valued landscape situated in the Green Belt between Leeds and Bradford has been recently signed over to Leeds City Council.

Legally, it is now a public countryside park with the additional conservation designations of a special landscape area, a nature area and an important wildlife corridor.

Unfortunately, over the long negotiations the area was neglected but now we are hopeful that the Parks and Leisure Department will draw up a management plan for the repair and management of the area.

The Preservation of Post Hill Group wish to thank all those who supported us during our long campaign which began in 1989. The efforts, contributions and support of so many individuals and groups were a determining factor in the eventual outcome.

We trust that many will enjoy the park for quiet leisure activities in future years and, as a conservation group, we will continue to monitor and endeavour to protect this strategic and picturesque area of Green Belt.

Margaret Veitch (secretary, The Preservation of Post Hill Group), Hough Top, Bramley.

SIR - Re your report on August 20 about cars racing in Laisterdyke streets. Could Councillor Khaliq please note we have the same trouble on Kershaw Street which runs off Bradford Lane.

Some time ago we had our car smashed up because of a "joyrider".

We also have in Kershaw Street what are laughingly called traffic calmers. From day one they have been as much use as a chocolate teapot.

Mrs J Wooton, Kershaw Street, Bradford.

SIR - With more than 30,000 young people in Britain now addicted to heroin and 250,000 addicted to Class 'A' drugs, the UK's drugs abuse problem is reaching epidemic levels.

Yet our scientific institutions and establishment figures do not take any notice of the United Nation's revolutionary work in developing a cure for all class 'A' drugs.

Over the last ten years the UN has been running clinical trials on a drug cure called HEA(N)TOS, which detoxifies within six days without any side effects at all. All treated addicts have been cured.

The Germans are now completing their five-year clinical trials with the same cure results. So why is it that Britain does not entertain such a revolutionary cure?

Methadone is no answer, as it is twice as addictive as heroin, but it is of course made by the large drug companies who make vast profits from its manufacture. The problem is that HEA(N)TOS is derived from naturally-growing plants and there is no need for a drug company to be involved and therefore no profits to be made.

The British government should now intervene in this national scandal.

Dr David Stuart Hill, Chief Executive , World Innovation Foundation, PO Box A60, Huddersfield, HD1 1XJ

SIR - A whole new way to suddenly feel very old indeed... realising that you're old enough to be the Bradford City chairman's father.

David Stuart, Barraclough Buildings, Greengates.

SIR - Audrey Raistrick rightly points out the shoddy treatment of UK pensioners compared to, say, Germany, Holland, Sweden and outside the EU, the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Successive British governments have treated seniors with neglect.

In the last few years pensioners in England (immigrant, native and indigenous alike) have had further neglect and contempt heaped on them by current politicians of all major parties.

Scotland's population was given its own voice ie its own parliament. The people of England weren't even consulted.

Now pensioners in Scotland get better health care, university students get free education, they have better policing, better houses, and cleaner streets.

This is because they and the people of Wales and Northern Ireland receive more income tax funding per head than the people of England.

This will continue and increase both in the UK and the EU until the people of England are granted equality through their national parliament.

Eric Firth, Wellington Street, Wilsden.

SIR - Further to my recent letter, I am glad to see that Mr Firth took me up on the question of English xenophobia. I entirely agree with him that no nation likes foreigners.

What I was trying to point out was that the indigenous English actually dislike foreigners - in their place - less than do most other nations. But in any case neither central nor local government seems to have taken in the general point.

My wife and I have spent time in many countries including Sri Lanka, India, Turkey and Egypt with substantial Muslim populations.

We have always respected their religions and manner of living, and we always hoped that as a Christian country England would be treated in a similar manner by people coming to settle here.

At the same time we find that we could not wish for better, kinder or more caring neighbours than our Asian friends.

We still - after all these years - continue to hope that our communities will integrate properly or at least become assimilated as all previous immigrant communities have done.

Ian R McDougall, Hawkswood Avenue, Heaton.

SIR - We see Bradford Council's Chief Executive giving over £4 million to Bradford Bulls, while at the same time announcing the closure of old people's homes through lack of funds.

It would appear it is more important to make facilities available for rugby players to aspire to the wealthy status of their soccer colleagues than provide for the people who created the wealth for these facilities to end their days in comfort.

I received a glossy brochure from Bradford College. Up to this year a financial concession was offered to pensioners and many attended the classes, but now the concession has been withdrawn. A double blow in the form of increase in pensioners' bus fares by 50 per cent has the undesired effect that many pensioners can no longer afford to attend a course.

Pensioners are being penalised for growing old, even though they helped create the wealth. One day, if you live long enough, you will be pensioners. Is this is to be your future?

In response to the last letter the T&A printed, we enrolled many new members. If people don't like what the future holds, join us and fight for the rights we are all entitled to.

Audrey Raistrick, secretary, Retired People's Action Group, 44 Oakdale Drive, Bradford. BD10 0JF.

SIR - The Bradford Pensioners' Association noted and deplored the proposed fares rise announced recently, not only for pensioners but all groups.

All the utilities including bus companies have overseas or other investments presumably earning extra profits, so it is a pity that they do not maintain a reasonably-priced service on their home market. It is time to re-nationalise.

Bernard Whittaker, secretary, Bradford Pensioners' Association, Scott Lane West, Riddlesden.

SIR - I do agree with Mr J R Smith regarding motorbikes and bicycles tearing around Fagley.

They are now coming on to this sheltered housing complex, around the back on the grassed area, bringing with them fast food and leaving the cartons and wrappers on the grass.

As a result we are now seeing rats (I have notified pest control).

We have two old ladies on here (101 and 92 years) so I think it is time we were left in peace. I am 81 plus years myself. Please help!

H Hillam, Moorgate Avenue, Bradford 3.

SIR - It was quite predictable that the usual suspects would crawl out of the woodwork and moan about the Hindu and Sikh plans for the Aire, and on the usual grounds that they don't want to share their public spaces with anyone else.

I think it's a great idea and that we should go further and rename the Aire the "New Ganges" which would no doubt cause the latent racists who are moaning to choke.

David Simpson, Hirst Avenue, Heckmondwike