Letters to the Editor

The sad thing is that the majority seem to be Bradfordians all too keen to fall on a sword. The worst ones are ex-Bradford people too keen to twist a knife, especially the correspondents from the "land of bland".

Bradford is a buzzing city with mega investment coming in and a vibrant youth of all cultures. We have led the way for 40 years in the UK for race harmony.

We have a minuscule proportion of numskulls who will be dealt with. We also have great youth with massive potential for Bradford.

How can the youth feel confident when all around they are being told how good it was? That was then, this is now, and tomorrow's the most important.

Maybe like your resident "gloom meister" (Mike Priestley), we should forever study our navel instead of getting on with business.

Bradford folk are as solid as the stone that's propping up this city. I hope they can take the detractors with a pinch of salt.

S Rupkus, Pasture Lane, Clayton.

SIR - Do the people of Bradford really know what shops the city centre has to offer?

If you compare the stores in Bradford to the ones in the White Rose Centre, then you will find virtually the same ones.

Both shopping centres have: Argos, BHS, Boots, Littlewoods, Index, W H Smith, Burtons, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Etam, New Look, Next, Principles, River Island, Top Man/Top Shop, Wallis, Clinton Cards, Dixon's, Clarks, Barratts, Claire's accessories, Goldsmiths, H Samuel, Thorntons, Allsports, JJB Sports, Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Electronics Boutique, Adams, Early Learning Centre, Mothercare, Superdrug, Going Places, Thomas Cook and HMV.

Plus Bradford has some high street stores the White Rose hasn't, a range of independent businesses and designer-wear shops, markets and Sunwin House department store.

Shops are located either on pleasant traffic-free streets or in the Kirkgate Shopping Centre.

Get down to Bradford this weekend and rediscover the city centre. It has so much to offer.

Jack MacPherson, Killinghall Road, Bradford 3.

SIR - We are absolutely fed up with the 680 bus service. Buses are running late and many times not turning up at all with no regard whatsoever for the timetable.

There are hardly any bus shelters on the route and it is no fun standing in the cold and rain waiting for a bus which doesn't turn up.

There used to be excuses when they came from Holme Wood, like "heavy traffic" and "long way". Now, however they only go to Forster Square and stand there with no regard to time.

Bus drivers tend to be rude with no explanations why they are late.

As most of the travellers during the day tend to be pensioners, it is very unfair to them.

Also I have seen on various occasions old ladies falling over with the bus jerking constantly. What if somebody is seriously injured?

Mr Prescott urges people to use public transport, but we expect the transport to be reliable and safe.

Mrs H Adams, Toller Lane, Bradford.

l Brandon Jones, marketing manager, First Bradford, said: "I regret to note the difficulties Mrs Adams has been experiencing with the First Bradford 680 service as we strive to provide a reliable service offering the highest standards of customer care on all our routes.

"Following a number of comments regarding reliability by our customers and staff earlier this year, the service was changed to include the addition of extra time in the timetable and a route change. I am most concerned Mrs Adams has observed continued reliability problems as well as concerns with our customer service.

"West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (Metro) are responsible for bus stops and shelters in West Yorkshire and any request for additional bus shelters in West Yorkshire should be made to: Metro, Property Service, Crow Nest Lane, Elland Road, Beeston, Leeds, LS11 8AT.

"I can assure Mrs Adams the reliability and safety of our services are of paramount importance and would urge any customer who is not satisfied to contact us with details of the journey on (01274) 734833 (Monday to Friday, 08.30 to 16.30) or cs@firstbradford.co.uk so we can investigate further."

SIR - Garden thieves are on the prowl again on Holme Wood. My son bought me a garden seat last year and chained it down; despite that, someone stole it between 9.15 and 11pm on the evening of April 27, outside my pensioner's bungalow. I would be grateful for any information, so I could recover it.

Mrs K Holmes, Madison Avenue, Holme Wood.

SIR - Councillor John Carroll (Letters, May 1) displays a Tory's unwillingness to look beyond his party's narrow self-interest.

"The committee system of local government has served us well for over 150 years," he says ("us" being the Tories? Mr Pickles' Thatcherites? Who else?)

Coun Carroll favours "local choice", but by whom? Tory voters? (Certainly!) The biggest minority of voters? Without a fair voting system, this will often narrow sectional interests.

As secretary of Shipley Lib-Dems, I'm grateful to Coun Carroll for informing me that we support Labour nationally. It's news to me!

Just because we don't mimic Wee Willie's reflex response of "Oh no it isn't", to anything a Labour politician says, doesn't mean that we are Labour supporters.

When some politicians finally grow up, and when the English get a chance to cast their votes fairly, we may see the public show the kind of enthusiasm for voting that made them turn out in force to get rid of the Tories at the last General Election.

John Hall, Pennithorne Avenue, Baildon.

SIR - How right Iain Morris is in his letter: "City has become hideous" (May 3).

It is a melting pot of multiculturalistic nonsense.

European Capital of Culture? I've seen more culture in a Morrisons yoghurt!

Allen Holdsworth, Bradford Road, Menston.

SIR - Sad as it may be, why so much fuss over the sale of a VC? We've squandered so much more of what those better generations fought and died for with barely a grave-ward glance.

Our forebears earned a land fit for heroes yet what remains is a land fit for heroin. We do not deserve to remember them.

Richard M Thompson, Park Hill Drive, Bradford 8.