There's no excuse for outstaying your welcome

I expect I am not alone among your readers in confessing that I don't want P Stock's commerce, holiday trade or friendship - all the things he claims we will miss out on because of his childish tantrum in reacting to a parking ticket.

Nor do I want to associate myself with his insulting and arrogant presumption that by writing a pathetic letter of complaint to our local newspaper about our council's case against him we will all rally enthusiastically behind him and not our local council. What utter nonsense.

Indeed I applaud unreservedly our council for taking an appropriately strong, clearly defined legal stance against someone who obviously broke the law and then presumed they could escape punishment by a lame excuse and childish threats to never return to Skipton - as though we really care.

His argument of being only 15 minutes over the limit is like being "only a little pregnant"

For me the real hero in this situation is not P Stock of Wilmslow, Cheshire, but T(raffic) Warden of Skipton, North Yorkshire, who has unwittingly but effectively rid our already overcrowded parking areas of yet another driver vying for a rare parking space.

Skipton miss out? Hardly! Our loss is actually one more parking space gained and one less driver from out of town to openly defy stated parking regulations and then try to wriggle out of their due punishment when caught. Our gain is Wilmslow's loss.

Robert Kandt,

Stock Green Farm,

Bracewell.

Put off

SIR - Whilst shopping in Skipton last week I also received a parking ticket.

It was my own fault, I lost track of time completely but when I discovered the cost of my mistake I was shocked and disgusted: £60 or £30 if paid within seven days.

I must say, it has put me off shopping in Skipton.

The staff at Sunwin House informed me that it happens a lot and there is nothing they can do.

Mrs K Phillipson,

Brackenber Close,

Giggleswick.

Innocent pleasures

SIR - I take great offence by the letter by Mr King (Craven Herald Letters August 4) regarding the village youth pursuits of the past.

The village youth of today seem more interested in sitting in front of the TV where they are brainwashed about the countryside rather than actually spending time in the countryside.

I too was one of the village youths, growing up in a mining community. All my family worked long, hard hours underground and their social life consisted of Sunday mornings out with their dogs rabbiting, shooting and fishing.

These people knew and understood the countryside and wildlife more than people like Mr King and Gordon Prentice will ever know.

The Conservative Government took their livelihoods away from then when they shut the local pit. This Labour Government is preparing to give them a final kick in the teeth by taking away the sport they have enjoyed since small children, a way of life which took them into the fresh air away from the choking coal dust which killed many miners, my grandfather included.

Mr Laing says that Gordon Prentice has the support of the majority of the country. I don't know what circles Mr King moves in but I have yet to meet one person who supports Mr Prentice's right to roam bill.

Perhaps Mr King never talks to anyone outside of town.

Also, Mr King, it was not the otter hunters who contributed to the decline of the otter population, rather the pollution of rivers. Otters require crystal clean water to live in. It was actually the otter hunters who drew the Labour Government's of the day's attention to the decline in otters. It was also the otter hunters who gave up hunting voluntarily to help the otter population.

Finally, I trust Mr King has read the Burns report as he seems very qualified in this field. If so I would draw his attention to the section of the report on hare hunting which orates: "In areas where hunting and coarsing are practiced, in the event of a ban the hare population would go down." Enough said.

Adrian Robinson,

Huntsman,

Airedale Beagles,

Silsden.

Rich privilege

SIR - Barry King (Craven Herald Letters, August 4) writes of his amazement that fox hunting was allowed to continue when cock fighting, bear baiting, bull baiting etc were outlawed.

Of course, it could have had nothing whatever to do with the wealth and power of our equestrian superiors as compared with the then grimy poverty of the hoi polloi with its equally bloody but downmarket "entertainments", could it?

Richard Cooper,

Caxton Garth, Threshfield.

Whimsy

SIR - I can only suppose that the last the Curmudgeon has been using for so long has been discarded.

As he implied recently, the editor seems to have forced him to use a computer and so we now read a serious sociological commentary.

Give him his due, he also writes this very well but of the two I prefer the whimsy of the fictional village saga.

Maybe the editor will let him write again as a curmudgeon, and then a serious one as, say, Cassandra?

As neither subject matter need necessarily be dated, he could then send them to the editor by post and get his own back.

Donald Wilcox,

Garrs End Lane, Grassington.

Nothing changes

SIR - In the Craven Herald edition of August 4, under "Craven 25 years ago", Beth Graham was reported to have been speaking out about freight traffic using the A65 trunk road.

Well, since then Settle has been bypassed. But nearly every week your letters page shows the problems are still with us.

Well some things never change. We still have narrow roads with bends and the residents are still endangered by the large wagons.

Paul Raistrick,

Settle Town Council election candidate,

Duke Street, Settle.

Code of conduct

SIR - May I through your columns be allowed to join in the perennial arguments surrounding the heavy goods vehicles through Settle.

Undoubtedly the recent letters from Penny Glanville, Roz Maude and Sandra Price have much content to be considered; however, whilst the subject is emotive, emotional correspondence could be counter-productive.

If it's of any assistance to new standard bearers, may I mention that soon after we moved to Giggleswick my wife wrote to the managing director of Tilcon, from whom she received a prompt and courteous reply.

He included a copy of a driver's code of practice, which should be, but plainly isn't, complied with.

For example: no vehicle should be allowed to be loaded before 7.30am; no "convoy" driving to exceed two vehicles; vehicles to be properly and safely sheeted or their loads covered correctly; clean vehicles maintaining speed limits to be driven in such a manner as not to intimidate other drivers or pedestrians.

There may be more but the Rev J Richardson has my only copy of the code. He made some extremely valuable suggestions which I broadly supported and, modestly, I too added some contributions. All, so far, have fallen on deaf ears.

I appreciate the argument that the quarry trade has existed long before we and trains arrived. My view embraces all the HGV traffic, not just quarry wagons.

In reply to Roz Maude's point re the bypass and Buckhaw Brow, I believe this route is not used because it is too far away, slower and more costly in time and fuel.

I'm certainly not sure of a comment made to me by an indigenous inhabitant that the townspeople were offered an alternative route which was rejected. As I say, I have no evidence of this.

Whilst advocating a non-emotional approach, I have to say that we'll all have to be patient until someone is killed when "measures will have to be taken to avoid such a tragedy happening again". How many times have we heard that from all responsible pundits.

Arthur Cookson,

Giggleswick.

Rail solution

SIR - Mrs Beesley is correct. Settle is being ruined by heavy goods traffic (Craven Herald Letters, August 4).

Much of this traffic originates from Horton quarry and was originally rail hauled. The traffic was diverted on to the road when BR decided that the Settle to Carlisle line was no longer needed.

Proposals to put this traffic back where it belongs, on the railway, have met with little response from Railtrack. They reckon it would cost £1 million to put in a crossover and signalling for stone traffic from Horton. That is their estimate but we can remember other estimates over the cost of repairing Ribblehead Viaduct.

They do not tell us what the revenue would be from the additional stone traffic, nor are we told of the benefit of what would become a shorter section than that between Settle Junction and Blea Moor.

A section at Horton would increase substantially the capacity of the line.

We are also told that it would cost jobs to put this traffic back on the railway. That is true, but the same argument fired the Luddite riots.

Had that been the only factor we would still be in the horse and cart age.

In any healthy economy jobs go only to be replaced by others and I cannot see the road haulage industry suffering from long term decay.

The object is to get this traffic out of the centre of Settle. It is quite ridiculous that a quiet market town should be subject to such a nuisance in a civilised society.

There are at least two other places where the railway has been retained to serve quarries. One is at Grassington where the branch was retained. Another is in Devon. In both cases sensitive environments have been protected. All that is needed here is to replace a siding, the railway is there already. We also need a modicum of initiative and action.

Rev Donald Bird,

Park Place, Hellifield.

Absent friends

SIR - I wholly agree with Mrs Vane of Giggleswick's letter about missing ducks.

I always looked forward to feeding them, it was a pleasure seeing them in such a tranquil spot but, alas, no more. It's very strange that they have been there for some years and then vanished. There could be two possibilities.

They either have gone to a greener habitat or have been poached and put in someone's cook pot.

For the beck to get back to its original state is, in my opinion, the responsibility of Giggleswick Parish Council. If they went out of their way to perform miracles with the beck and its surrounding the ducks may "get wind" of it and return.

Stuart Fairbrother,

Stackhouse Lane, Giggleswick.

Ribblehead worries

SIR - Am I alone in reacting in some dismay to your report about the national park's intentions for Ribblehead?

I have been a visitor to Ribblehead for over 30 years. I have not noticed any appreciable deterioration of the landscape.

It concerns me that the authority lays such emphasis on the preservation of a temporary site camp and has scheduled it as an "ancient monument" when any similar building site today would have the planners demanding full restoration of the landscape.

Yes, record the remains and write up the story - it has been done well - but then forget them.

The enjoyment of Ribblehead comes from the combination of its natural grandeur and the magnificent viaduct which straddles it. The navvy camp can best be recalled by standing under the arches with the wind howling through and using a little imagination. The marks on the ground add nothing.

I have walked through Ribblehead on a day when a group of youngsters were tackling the Three Peaks. Their support cars provided soup and butties.

Other visitors wandered over to the limestone clints. Small children played in the stream, the tea van provided refreshments. Hillwalkers set off for more serious walking. It was the epitome of the quiet enjoyment of the country which the national park exists to provide and because it was unregimented it encouraged a sense of freedom.

If, instead of digging up the landscape it wants to preserve to prevent cars parking it puts the money towards providing public toilets then it would be doing a public service

Canon David Towers,

West View, Langcliffe.

Criminal example

SIR - Well done Sam Spence (shop worker apprehends shoplifter, Craven Herald August 4). Perhaps if Skipton police spent less time under canal bridges nabbing pee artists they might nick a few criminals too.

Those for instance involved in the drugs turf war or those responsible for trashing curry houses in town, right down to disaffected youths abusing the parish churchyard.

R Tate,

Keighley Road,

Skipton.

Heavy handed

SIR - WHEN talking about footpaths, a change of word is urgently needed from across to around a field.

My son-in-law has a sown a field of kale to save expenditure on winter feed. He has been told by the authorities to strim a three feet wide path through the kale as, technically over six feet high, it constitutes an obstruction; and if he does not comply within seven days, then proceedings will be taken against him!

Footpaths were originally the direct route for farm labourers to go to and from work, an entirely different situation from people walking for leisure, who are not being denied access, but are asked to walk around instead of across; so avoiding this act of vandalism.

It is time for the authorities to put their house in order and prove they are environmentally friendly.

It costs £700 for a footpath to be redirected. Why should the farmer pay?

The next thing is going to be the so-called Right to Roam. How about stressing the three Rs of the countryside - Right to Roam Responsibly.

Where has common sense gone, or is the law really an ass? Farmers don't need any more nails in their coffins.

Country born and bred,

Diana Kaneps,

Moss Barn House, Wigglesworth.

Missing handout

SIR - Goodfellow? So much for Skipton Building Society's big handouts. How privileged I was to receive a letter from John Goodfellow, the chief executive, this week, extolling the virtues of "mutuality in the 21st century" and discussing "the exciting and ground breaking new scheme" to reward long term members. And then I discover I do not qualify, despite being a customer since the early 1980s.

Whilst I did not have a great deal to gain from the scheme, being a student and therefore not Britain's richest man, speaking to friends in Grassington, there are many other disgusted customers, one indeed who has a mortgage and significant savings, but still failed to qualify. This initiative, Mr Goodfellow, smacks of a tacky publicity stunt, a chance to grab the national headlines.

The letter to non-qualifying customers said "our primary objective is to deliver added value to our members."

If looking after its members is its number one priority, I fail to understand how creating a two tier membership serves the purpose. Goodfellow by name, not so goodfellow by nature.

Chris Mason,

Moor Lane, Grassington.

Flag day

SIR - May I express a very big "thank you" to the people who so generously contributed to the Guide Dogs for the Blind flag day last Saturday. The stall and the collection raised the fantastic total of £1,068.32

Lesley Patchett,

Chairman,

Skipton Guide Dogs for the Blind,

Greenacres, Skipton.

Memorial move

SIR - With regard to the article "Call for War Memorial to be moved" (Craven Herald July 29).

I think Mr Leech has a very good point. I remember the war memorial in Letcliffe Park, then in later years placed near to where the station used to be.

In view of his remarks I think it would be in keeping to move it to the Town Square.

I am a former Barlicker with names of relatives on the memorial from both wars.

Shirley Haigh,

Raines Drive,

Bradley.

Common sense

SIR - In reply to Mr Leech's comments re the War Memorial, I personally have to agree that the idea of moving the War Memorial, the Duke of Wellington Memorial stone and the new millennium bench round the corner into the town square makes great common sense.

Not only would this move open up the land for other users, it would also mean that any mindless vandalism would be seen by anyone living above the shops around the square and maybe these vandals could then be caught and taught a lesson.

As Mr Leech noted, the war memorial at present is quite hidden and vandals can - and do - get away with this behaviour.

I feel personally that the Remembrance Day service would be as much appreciated on the square as on Wellhouse Road because everybody would hear and see what was going on.

Anybody who wants to be part of the service could be and there is plenty of seating in the square for those who find standing difficult.

If some people wished to parade onto the square then I'm sure if they came forward and stipulated their wishes it could be arranged.

Mrs Ann-Marie Utley,

West Avenue, Barnoldswick.

War evacuees

SIR - I am a mature student at Bradford University and am preparing my dissertation on the evacuation of schoolchildren during the Second World War.

I would be grateful if any of your readers who took in evacuees from Bradford or who know about the evacuation of St Joseph's Nursery School to Broughton Hall would kindly contact me.

Mary Gilmartin,

31 Rossefield Road,

Bradford, BD9 4DD.

Older drivers are best

SIR - I could not agree more with Frank Pedley (Letters, July 28) that age alone should not determine the outcome of any motoring offence.

Statistics show that older drivers are the safest drivers. This has been confirmed by a Transport Minister, a representative of motor insurers and a doctor on a Radio Leeds phone-in. The insurance man added that when older drivers had a claim they were mostly smaller claims, while the doctor stated that serious accidents were mostly caused by youth, drink, speed and testosterone!

There does seem to be some inconsistency in the sentencing of motoring offenders anyway.

I am no defender of thoughtless teenagers but a fine of £50 plus costs and six points on his licence does seem to be out of all proportion when imposed for a silly prank designed to irritate his schoolmates but unintentionally annoying a pensioner waiting at a bus stop as recently reported in your columns. One would have thought that a spell of community service at a time when the lad would normally be enjoying his leisure would be more appropriate over an offence that posed no danger to life or limb.

And what was the puddle doing beside the bus stop anyway? So much money is spent by anti-motorist highways department yet drains cannot be kept properly cleared out.

All those fancy so-called traffic calming schemes are only too likely to make bad motorists out of good. I am sure I am not the only one to feel that since I am being penalised anyway by speed bumps and the like I may as well break the speed limit when I feel like it.

How about motorists causing real chaos by all leaving their cars at home one day and going for public transport? The country would come to a real standstill.

ME Price,

Heather Cottage, Farnhill.

Nothing changes

SIR - I remember seeing a comedy sketch on television where someone found a skeleton in the midst of a very long post office queue, similar to the one which can be regularly seen in the main Skipton post office on Swadford Street (are there any sub post offices left in the town?)

When this ridiculous and unwanted scheme of all benefits and allowances being paid into a bank from 2003 comes into effect, I am sure that many more sub and rural post offices will face closure and that queue will probably reach Morrisons.

So, if anyone finds themselves stood next to a hairy mammoth, please post it to the Natural History Museum, if you reach the counter before the next Millennium.

I am not criticising the counter staff, who do a wonderful job in trying circumstances. I am getting at those who have immediate access to two vehicles and can be chauffeured to the nearest bank - ring any bells?

The rest of us don't have that choice and have to depend on public transport to reach a dwindling array of services.

Wendy Milner,

Church Street,

Gargrave.