I VERY much agree with John Minto’s letter (HAS, March 24) when he compares the Beeching railway cuts to the proposed cuts to the library service in Darlington. If Doctor Beeching and his ministers had spent some of their time talking to people who actually used the railway services they might not have been so unpopular and made so many mistakes.

My line, from Crook to Bishop Auckland, was axed. Yet from 7am-10am on a morning the trains were nearly full with schoolchildren and people going to work. They were just as busy again from 4pm-7pm when those same people came home.

On a Saturday the carriages were packed with football supporters and were only slack during the day in midweek and after 7pm. With a little bit of thought and a couple of ‘tweaks’ of the timetable that line could have been made profitable.

It’s the same with the library.

If there was someone from the ruling political party willing to talk to the people, and the campaigners, a satisfactory outcome could be reached with all parties. What everyone needs to understand though is that the library issue is not just about book lending and finance, it is about what Darlington library holds. Basically the library contains the history of the town through its public records, paintings, photographs, newspapers, magazines and books etc.

This priceless collection will not fit into the Dolphin Centre because there is just too much of it and human error will make sure that items will be lost and damaged as they are transported from building to building.

That is the crime – Darlington should not disturb or lose it’s crown jewels.

Darlington Borough Council may well have won a battle with the full council vote on Thursday March 23 but they have not won the war which could go on for a long time yet. It just needs someone with a bit of common sense to open negotiations with the campaigners who are all intelligent, honest, well-meaning people.

Name and address supplied.