Letters to the Editor

SIR - Regarding prison officers at Wakefield Prisons being reprimanded for wearing St George's Cross tie pins (T&A, October 4) - isn't this just another example of political correctness taken to extremes?

Who were the badges meant to have offended? The pins are recognition of English identity in an English prison.

Are all the inmates in Wakefield Prison foreign? And if so, are they likely to resent the fact that an English prison is policed by English staff?

Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers seems to have overlooked that during last summer's European Football Championship, Bradford Council took a similar ludicrous stance over the flying of St George flags, even offending Asian taxi drivers who wanted to join with the rest of us in displaying a little patriotic pride!

I am not a racist and respect other people's religions and beliefs and I will continue wearing my St George, Union flag, English rose and Yorkshire rose lapel badges with pride.

Paul Collins, Brookfield Road, Pollard Park, Bradford.

Shame on you

SIR - I read about Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers ticking off her officers for wearing St George's Cross tie pins claiming they could be classed as racist (T&A, October 4).

Shame on you. St George is our patron saint and if officers want to wear the tie pins they should do so with pride.

How much more lunacy must be thrown about in this country? We are supposed to be multicultural - that means accepting aspects of everyone's faith and beliefs.

It is claims from people like Anne Owers suggesting the wearing of a badge is being racial that leads to more animosity and annoyance and racism on all sides.

Get a grip on reality please. Be proud of St George.

C A Armitage, Southfield Road, Little Horton, Bradford.

A step too far

SIR - Is it not time to bring to a halt the march of the politically correct brigade? Their latest attack on prison officers who wore a St George's cross tie pin because it could be "misinterpreted" as racist is a step too far (T&A, October 4).

Who do these people think they are and why is our nation so laid-back to tolerate their insolence?

I'll wager they wouldn't dare tell any Irish, Welsh or Scottish patriot to stop wearing their national flag.

If I was one of the Wakefield prison officers and Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers confronted me I'd willingly remove my tie pin if only to jab its sharp point into a certain part of that lady's anatomy that would leave her unable to sit down for a very long time.

David Rhodes, Croscombe Walk, Bradford.

Next...tattoos?

SIR - After the comments of Anne Owers, Chief inspector of Prisons, following her visit to Wakefield Prison, I am going to buy a St George's Cross tie pin.

I am not going to wear it, but stick it in a 'doll' representing her. I wonder how she feels about people with tattoos of a similar nature?

Gary Lorriman, North Walk, Harden

Openness, please

SIR - Ray Wilkes's letter, "City can learn transport lessons" (T&A, October 4) assumes our roads are used solely by car drivers, or those who use public transport.

I'd love to see how your plumber could bring his tools and your new boiler on the bus! There is a commercial sector in our lives and they too have to use the roads.

However, my main concern is to just what Yorkshire and Humberside Roundtable is all about. What is their remit, who is funding them and for whom do they speak?

Whatever one feels about "getting people out of their cars" this is not just a "car versus public transport" problem.

We have seen road casualty reductions, although many are actually not the fault of the motorist, and we welcome this. Surely we also realise a safe environment is up to all of us. We need a partnership approach as well in order to assist our road safety.

However, how is the Yorkshire and Humberside Roundtable funded, what are its aims, and why has it not made itself as open to the public as it should?

Councillor Roger Taylor, (Con, Northowram and Shelf), Glen Terrace, Halifax

Keep an eye out!

SIR - I do not often visit West Bowling but last week I drove through it and was appalled to see that Woodroyd School has been demolished and a new building is being erected.

I am in full support of retaining as much of the Odeon as possible but we are having a campaign which is taking our minds away from other buildings, just as much the heritage of Bradford, which are being knocked down or allowed to rot due to lack of use.

What we need to is keep a careful watch on these few building and to fight to keep them rather than allow them to disappear and nobody notice.

John Stead, Rooley Avenue, Odsal

Bus drawbacks

SIR - Now that plans for a cross-rail link have been rejected by the Council, it is doubtful the so-called electric tram (bus) currently serving the two Bradford stations will encourage motorists to change their mode of travel from car to train when undertaking cross-city journeys from the north of the city to the south.

Firstly the bus is only running from 10am to 2.30pm, thus not being available at peak periods when the greatest demand for the service would arise.

Secondly, although the electric bus is more environmentally benign than its diesel counterpart, the vehicle is slow moving and too small to carry at any one time a large number of passengers.

It would be more beneficial to provide a frequent and dedicated conventional bus service between the stations, possibly running every ten to 15 minutes in each direction.

This would facilitate an easier transfer between the two stations, raising awareness of travel opportunities at the two locations and eventually increase passenger numbers.

In time the numbers travelling between the two separate networks by bus would justify calls for a cross-city link.

Alec Suchi, Secretary, Bradford Rail Users' Group, Allerton Road, Bradford

Wrong to criticise

SIR - Sheila Ognissanti's mean-spirited letter (T&A, October 1) attacking Carlton Bolling's approach to latecomers cannot go unchallenged.

The facts are that punctuality at the school has improved dramatically. Whatever the methods appeared to be on the TV programme, they clearly work and are considerably more civilised than her recommendation of a few night club bouncers!

Add to this, the dramatic improvement in GCSE results and the inspectors' praise for the order and effective leadership that now characterise the school, and you have a remarkable turn-around and success story.

A pity then that Ms Ognissanti chooses to criticise, rather than celebrate a school transformed and striving to give its students the opportunities they deserve.

Richard Jenkins, Greenhead Lane, Utley.

So disgusting...

SIR - What kind of person would want to jail a 73-year-old woman simply because she spoke her mind - at least she had guts.

What about the man who killed the jeweller while he was tagged?

There was no space in jail for him before he killed, but a cell was found for the old lady - disgusting.

D Burnett, Great Horton Road, Great Horton

Right to worry

SIR - It may be a good idea to house a pharmacy in Shipley's brand new health centre (T&A, October 3) but Councillor Kevin Warnes is right to have some reservations about its impact on J A White's pharmacy close by, which has served the community so well for so long.

Iain Morris, Caroline Street, Saltaire.