Grandmother was privileged

My granny was 87 and worked hard all her life, as did the majority of her generation.

She never knew her parents and was sent away to work at the young age of 14, which is how she ended up in Settle, her place of birth being West Hartlepool in County Durham.

Over the last 20 months of her life her health had deteriorated and she had been cared for at the Greenfoot residential home and Harden Ward.

I would like to tell people how outstanding these places are.

She couldn't have been cared for any better if she had been royalty. My family and I have nothing but praise for all the staff.

We are so lucky to have these places in Settle and Giggleswick. Let's hope we never lose them.

Ruth Cockshott,

Settle.

No response

SIR - I recently, through circumstances, had to resort to make contact with a department within Pendle District Council.

The constructive and efficient manner my query and questions were dealt with was excellent. Later in the conversation I was informed that the person six weeks earlier had been working for Craven District Council; obviously the latter has lost an effective and efficient person.

I raise this point because, on three occasions, contact has been made by mail from me, on two of them also by verbal communication.

I received one response from one head of department, promising action and monitoring, sadly this is not the case. From the other department I had to remind the head of department of the communication, after a short while this was acknowledged.

Whilst we all have our failings, could it be possible manners come into play as some response is far better than silence.

The third head of department will receive a copy of this letter. However, at the next forum meeting, silence will not prevail, questions will be directed to the chief executive of Craven District Council, who, I am confident, will deal with my questions in an efficient and positive manner.

S Magee,

Thornton-in-Craven

Disruption

SIR - It would seem the MP for South Staffordshire, who happens to be chairman of the all-party Parliamentary Heritage Committee, wants the queen Mother honoured with an annual public holiday to mark the anniversary of her death. Bully for him, some would say.

A remarkable woman without doubt, but, sorry ma'am, no holiday. Does this MP not realise the total disruption caused to business and industry by a one day break?

Incidentally, would the Government be paying the workforce for this day off?

Bob Wright,

Wright wine Company,

Raikes Road, Skipton.

A big commitment

SIR - The committee members of the RSPCA Craven and Upper Wharfedale branch make the following appeals to help us to promote animal welfare.

We ask everyone thinking about acquiring a pet to carefully consider the serious and long-term commitment that this represents.

When owners find this commitment unmanageable, we are often asked to try to rehome their animal. Sadly there is always a waiting list for admittance to our kennels as it seems there are too many unwanted and/or neglected animals and not enough homes.

We strongly encourage owners to have their pets neutered, to help limit the large number of unwanted animals. Veterinary surgeons will be happy to offer advice on neutering, so do please consult a vet. By having your pet neutered you will be promoting responsible pet ownership and, in the longer-term, helping to increase the chance of a good home being found for animals in need.

People can also demonstrate their responsibility as pet owners by having their pet microchipped. This simple and virtually painless procedure is a permanent way of identifying your pet.

During RSPCA Week 2002, April 29 to May 5, several vets around our branch area will be participating in a microchipping campaign in partnership with the branch. We hope that many people will take this opportunity to have their pet microchipped.

Beverley Leeson,

Secretary,

Craven and Upper Wharfedale branch committee,

RSPCA.

Tunnel solution

SIR - So the Settle people area again howling about how awful the traffic through the town is (Craven Herald, April 5).

From a one time expert on roads, if only the modern generation could be persuaded to at least try and understand; the solution is a tunnel - something which local planners and transport experts probably know nothing about.

Starting on the road into Settle from the south, a road tunnel should be 'churned out' from below Anley Hall to reach Settle below the ambulance station coming out and going on both sides of the allotments and then north on to the existing Sowarth Estate road to Kings Mill.

From there, built on bankings made from tunnel 'spoil' one steel bridge should cross over the A65 between the river Ribble and the school and then across the field, over the Ribble again to the Stainforth road, more tunnel spoil being used for lifting sound-reducing vegetation sites and other structures to protect the locals from the noise.

It is an old idea, still strictly censored by the finance industry going back to the "pick and shovel" days when it would have been very expensive.

Now, with modern tunnel drills churning through rock at the rate of 80 feet per day and even faster through soil, and with the steel industry desperate for customers to use their output on bridges, nothing could be easier!

The problem is how to tell our "dis-engineered" dumbed-down modern generation and, harder still, how to get a solution to a problem like this disclosed to the public, as opposed to simply howling about "ain't it awful".

RD Leakey,

Sutcliffe House, Giggleswick.

Green fields

SIR - This morning I saw a wonderful sight in the field adjacent to our house, one I had been anticipating since the horrendous events of almost 12 months ago.

A sheep had given birth to a pure white lamb. The birds were singing and the sun was shining down upon the green fields, the hedgerows, the daffodils and the trees.

One indisputable fact that has been starkly demonstrated by the foot and mouth outbreak is that the Yorkshire Dales depends heavily on the income brought in by tourists, be they day trippers, walkers, cyclists, bikers or families staying for a longer duration in the many types of accommodation.

And why are we thronged with visitors at the first beam of spring sunshine? Am I wrong in thinking it is to come and enjoy the scene described above, or amble around the market towns and villages pervaded with character, history and distinctive shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes.

Now none of us would want to live in an open museum, people must have livelihoods and well planned change and the creation of new opportunities and diversification there must be for any area to thrive.

But how many of us would go on holiday to tour a procession of soulless designer shoe boxes and concentration camp style retail parks?

Perhaps if a high proportion of council houses hadn't been sold off there would still be a stock of affordable, well built houses with generous gardens.

A new village might be a good idea Mr McCann (Craven Herald letters, April 5) on land which at some time will become redundant, one of the quarries perhaps with a railway and roads close by? But place one theodolite on these verdant green pastures and I will chain myself to the bulldozer.

Anyone out there know Swampie's number?

Wendy Milner,

Church Street, Gargrave.

Dales are for all

SIR - I am writing in response to the comments made by Michael Bartholomew in the article featured in the Craven Herald (April 5) about the use of recreational vehicles in the dales.

Speaking as one who was born and brought up here in Skipton, I have lived with our beautiful surroundings all my life, and like so many others I have grown to love what we have on our doorstep, it is always a privilege to call this place home.

I can only assume from Mr Bartholomew's comments that he would like to see a total ban on anyone driving a motorised vehicle on these ancient rights of way, and that he is quite happy to see a large amount of countryside users banned outright from accessing the dales. Am I alone in thinking that this is an extremely selfish attitude?

I myself own and drive one of the offending vehicles, and I regularly go out into the dales to do it. In the time I have been enjoying this activity I have seen many walkers and cyclists also out enjoying the same rights of way that I do, the majority of the time we are greeted with waves or smiles, and, surprisingly enough, a cold glare is a rarity.

When I first became involved in "green laning" I was taught that the tread lightly code was one of the most important things to observe whilst out driving. The respect for the countryside that exists within the community of drivers is huge, and to be regarded, as we are so often, as some breed of vandals, is unfair and more to the point inaccurate. Mr Bartholomew's claim that the tide of opinion is turning against us is also untrue, there are probably more vehicles out there than I have ever seen before, mostly spurred on by the threat of a ban.

Anyone who has ever taken the time to get to know what we are about will know that we have a duty to be respectful and considerate towards the environment, the main reason being that we want to continue to be allowed to use it.

I will not pretend there isn't a large element of man and machine against the terrain, but the biggest obstructions we struggle with are nearly always man made. The deepest ruts are created by agricultural vehicles, such as tractors. Will they be the next target of Mr Bartholomew's YDGLA, and if not, who will?

There are many more arguments I could run through, I could tell you about how it is always the drivers who organise green lane repair days, and save the councils a fortune. I could tell you about how if some lanes are closed down, use of the open ones will only increase, and that a large percentage of the damage that occurs to green lanes according to research is due to poor drainage and a lack of proper management.

I am assuming that the members of the YDGLA are using other means to enjoy the countryside, walking or cycling perhaps, am I really to believe that it is acceptable to propose to ban one group of users while the others have a free run.

There are numerous alternatives to a total ban, perhaps a rotation scheme where lanes in need of repair are closed and others opened.

Remember also that there are only a fraction of routes in the region eligible to be driven anyway, those who don't wish to see motor vehicles could indeed walk on footpaths or bridleways where 4x4s or motorbikes are not allowed.

Sadly I think that eventually the YDGLA will get what they want, after all their argument is in tune with the ecological spirit of the times, and the logistics and administration involved in coming up with alternatives would I'm sure provide an adequate excuse for not even trying.

Leighton Griffiths,

Brougham Street, Skipton.

School concerns

SIR - I have to say first that I read your paper every week and consider it to be excellent in its coverage and attention to local matters.

However, I wish to draw your attention to a report of an accident in the Craven Herald of April 5 entitled "Waggon overturns" and wrongly identifies the location as Ireby Road, Burton-in-Lonsdale.

In fact the incident occurred in High Street right outside the gate of our primary school at 8.30am on Tuesday last week. This was a large and fully laden heavy goods vehicle which failed to negotiate the bend at the school, well inside a 30 limit zone, and fell onto its side on the opposite half of the road, beside the pavement that on normal weekdays would have been carrying mothers and children walking to school. By good fortune, it was a school holiday.

Alongside this pavement there is a high stone wall, leaving pedestrians particularly vulnerable to vehicles that mount the kerb.

Our parish council has long tried to improve road safety in this village; indeed, recently larger more visible 30 limit signs were placed just before the scene of this incident. We have been told that large horizontal speed limit/slow signs are scheduled to be placed in the road there too.

What we really need, like many small villages lying along A-roads, is a 20 mph limit. Your support for such measures and others that improve road safety would be welcomed by many. Amazingly, the recent Craven District Council Draft Community Strategy did not include any mention of road safety, but we have alerted Carolyn Kelly to this omission and she will try to have it included in the final version. Note that, as a result of weight restrictions in Wennington, more heavy goods vehicles pass through our village.

It is important to be aware that many villages have major heavy and speedy traffic passing along roads with narrow pavements and restricted escape for pedestrians, including children and mothers with pushchairs and prams. For a four or five year old, on a narrow pavement with a high wall beside a road like ours, the slipstream of a 30mph high-sided 18-wheeler could cause a fall into the road.

Villages that have fatalities move up the priority list for improved road safety schemes; we would like some action towards a 20mph limit before we have a fatality among our children.

Kit Dodson

Chairman,

Burton-in-Lonsdale Parish Council

Lost doll

SIR - On Monday, April 8, I was playing in the Aireville Park play area.

I found a baby doll on a bench.

I would really like to give it back to the little girl who lost her.

Abigail Harraway,

Hurrs Road, Skipton.

Editor's note: Contact the editor first (794117) who will pass on the message.

Impressed

SIR - As a regular user of public transport, I am very impressed with Keighley's new bus station.

It does, however, put Skipton's bus station to shame. Surely it's time that this was updated in some way.

In the aftermath of the foot and mouth crisis, public transport plays a large part in bringing people back into Skipton and the Dales. Is this lack of modernisation purely financial or something else?

Is Skipton's lack of advertising also a financial problem? In the spring edition of North Yorkshire County Council's publication Reporter, Skipton was hardly mentioned.

Business in the whole of the North East seemed to be advertised but not one from Skipton. The Tourist Information Board did advertise, but in very, very small print. Is this low-key approach by Skipton inadvertent or does Skipton have all the custom and tourists that it needs?

Jenny Wood,

Station Grove,

Cross Hills.

Daffodil campaign

SIR - We have just finished a very successful Daffodil Campaign to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

I would like to thank your readers for supporting us by giving a donation in return for a daffodil.

Much of our success is due to the commitment and enthusiasm of our growing band of volunteers and to them we owe thanks.

In your area we raised £929 at a recent street collection in Skipton and Settle. This is a fantastic contribution to our work and will make a real difference to the lives of people we care for in our hospices and through our nursing service.

Personally it has been a humbling and inspirational experience and I have met so many people with a story to tell about their brushes with cancer and other diseases. It spurs me on as a local fundraiser to work even harder for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Brian Curran,

Fundraising manager,

Bradford and Craven.

Caring young folk

SIR - Further to a letter last week, I too, slipped and fell on the evening of March 28 in a car park in Barnoldswick. The few people around all showed great concern including a young man en route to his car and two teenage girls who were "larking about".

Contrary to often negative press reports, it is heartening to know that there are still plenty of caring young people around and through your columns I should like to thank all concerned.

Name supplied.