Town's future

But, as they intend putting 56 faster trains into service in 2005, this will mean increased closure of the Low Gates crossing. It was recently reported in the D&S that Hambleton District Council has objected to the building of a bridge over Low Gates as proposed by the county council but as far as I am aware it has no contingency plan.

It is a realistic assumption that if usage of the TransPennine Express service was to increase to a level predicted, Northallerton would suffer grid-locked roads to a degree which would seriously damage the economy of the town.

I first brought up this issue when on the town council and the subsequent meeting of all the local services fully endorsed fears that if nothing was done to bridge the Low Gates then there would be both life-threatening consequences and a danger to the town's viability.

Hambleton District Council declined to send official representation to that meeting. Since then there has been a meeting organised by the civic society when they brought Newcastle University planning students to to meet county and district planners. It was proposed that the students look at the traffic problems in Northallerton and at no cost present their ideas to the district and county.

The only local representatives at that meeting were Jack Dobson and myself, no representatives from the county or district attended that meeting.

A bridge over Low Gates was strongly recommended at that meeting. I cannot understand the policy of the Conservative-led county/district councils which fails to grasp the seriousness of the situation.

It has had decades of warnings of the consequences. The county council now has a bridge plan, the district council opposes it. I challenge any representative from the district to make a statement as to why it opposes it but I also expect the council to provide a contingency plan.

This is not a political point. We are discussing the future of Northallerton.

ROB KENNEDY

Millfield Avenue,

Northallerton.

My hero

Sir, - I would like to thank to Andy Swales of Thirsk, who sorted out a traffic problem on Wednesday, January 14.

While taking 16 children to school in a minibus, I came across a traffic jam on Blakey Lane, yet again due to traffic lights.

Andy was the only person who addressed the situation, whilst the workman watched the traffic continue to come through the lights, blocking the whole road.

Andy got out of his car, unblocked our path by moving cars into a cul-de-sac and escorted me and another van past.

Everyone sat there crossly, moaning a bucket-full, but this is the way of society today, everyone will moan but nobody is prepared to do anything to help each other, except for Andy. Three cheers and a pat on the back!

SARA CLARK

First Steps Day Nursery,

Carlton Miniott Business Park,

Thirsk.

Fire service worry

Sir, - A cause for concern is the proposed hike of 30pc in the precept for the North Yorkshire Fire Brigade to meet its expected rise in costs. Taxpayers were led to believe that costs for the settlement of the fire brigade dispute would be met by tightening up poor practices and other savings.

This project did not work as no sensible thinking man would believe it would!

So now we are being asked to subsidise the fire brigade, ie rob Peter to pay Paul. This kind of taxation cannot be allowed to continue.

Fire brigade staff were given an above-inflation settlement for their grievances, and will be able to pay for swinging increase proposed. But the poor man at the lower end of the financial ladder will not.

T BARKER

Byland Avenue,

Thirsk.

Country balance

Sir, - Recent reports concerning a pheasant shoot taking place within earshot of a school in Norfolk have brought into sharp focus the important, but sometimes difficult, balance that needs to be struck between valuable countryside activities and the careful consideration of other land users and visitors.

As with all field sports, public understanding and sympathy is achieved as a result of their being conducted to the highest possible standards and in an open and accountable manner.

This means careful explanation of the techniques and practises and if necessary, transparent and independent scrutiny.

An increasing number of shooting enthusiasts have willingly signed up to the Code of Good Shooting Practice, a comprehensive guide which has the support of all the major land use and field sports organisations in the UK.

The UK landscape is a delicate environment cared for with attention and sympathy by a range of different interests. The connection between a landscape rich in wildlife and biodiversity, and field sports activity is no coincidence.

SIMON HART

Chief executive, Countryside Alliance

Kennington Road,

London.

Don't apologise

Sir, - I refer to your report of Richmondshire District Council's State of the District debate (D&S, Jan 16).

The chairman of the local strategic partnership is reported as describing the debate as being useful as a "company report of Richmondshire plc." This is a misleading analogy.

Local authorities, the public services generally, and what used to be the public utilities, were born out of the need to do what private business could not or would not afford to do. We only have to read Dickens or Trollope to find out what happened to those who could not buy into business, or who through no fault of their own fell by the wayside, in earlier years.

Don't let's even by implication apologise for the need for public services, which do still, thank goodness, pick up some of the broken pieces of society.

ANGELA LeGRICE

Elm House Barn,

Askrigg.