SIR – Your letters page (T&A, July 29) was full of people telling us how necessary the cross-rail scheme is.

I am neither for nor against it, but I am willing to play Devil’s Advocate and ask the awkward questions no-one else appears to want to ask.

All your correspondents tell me that a cross-rail link will bring more people to the city. Why? Where is it in Britain that you cannot get to Bradford from, that you will be able to if we join the stations?

Who are all these extra people and where will they come from? If people wanted to, surely they could get to Bradford by train already.

The other point people make is the extra business cross-rail will generate. Why? And who and where will this business come from?

It seems an awful lot of money to spend just to let people ride through the city when it could be spent on improving the city centre.

If I have shown my ignorance, so be it, but I am just a normal ratepayer and do not need attacking.

I would like some answers before I decide which side I come down on – and “because it will” isn’t good enough.

Ken Parsons, Douglas Road, East Bowling, Bradford