Sir, - It is distressing that arguments appearing in your Countryman column regarding the recent Ramblers' Association Footpaths Week event at Boroughbridge, are still being regurgitated to undermine the valuable work of those committed to improving access for all to the countryside.

How does Countryman expect a person to learn to respect the countryside if they are barred from entering it by illegally ploughed paths, cropped paths, broken stiles, barbed wire barricades and overgrown public rights of way?

One lesson from the closure of paths during the foot-and-mouth epidemic was that walkers contributed enormously to the economy of rural areas.

An additional £200,000 being allocated to the maintenance of footpaths by North Yorkshire County Council is a wise investment when weighed against the money walkers bring to the economy of the county.

Countryman may believe it an unnecessary waste of taxpayer's money, but the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber estimated a loss to the region of £34.8m between March and May 2001 as a result of closed footpaths. The report found that: "Consultations have revealed that the closure of the footpaths is the single largest factor impacting on rural tourism ..."

How much more money is lost to the North Yorkshire economy annually as a result of paths being unusable owing to the illegal cropping and ploughing which Countryman seems to find so acceptable?

PAUL BELL

Press Office, the Ramblers' Association

Albert Embankment,

London.

Don't be a misery

Sir, - What a curmudgeonly misery is Nicolas Rhea in his Countryman's Diary (D&S, July 12). These people (always a giveaway that a prejudiced remark follows) he says of ramblers, are costing ratepayers' money to keep the public rights of way clear of obstructions so that these people can enjoy a leisure activity.

What does he say about money spent on maintaining our highways so that people (these or others) can drive to the seaside or the theatre or the swimming-pool? Should that too be devoted to education and crime reduction?

Does it perhaps occur to him that walking in the countryside may actually be educational (has he heard of lifelong learning) and may even contribute to crime reduction by providing some "innocent merriment", to quote from G&S.

Is he aware that walking is one of the best and cheapest ways of keeping healthy and thus reducing calls on the NHS. Is he also aware that members of the RA devote very many hours of voluntary work to clearing obstructions from public right of ways, ie footpaths?

I've yet to hear of road users voluntarily filling in potholes or clearing blocked gullies. Cheer up, Nick. Take a walk!

ROBIN WEST

Countersett Hall,

Bainbridge.

What second post?

Sir, - The Post Office's Thirsk pilot scheme to produce a better delivery system by pruning the second delivery in favour of a single, later, mail delivery, prompts three questions.

What second delivery? Will the advised delay to delivery mean we will be receiving mail at tea-time instead of lunch-time, as is presently the case in our village?

Finally, and much more to the point, one is prompted to ask if the Post Office has been sneakily running this pilot scheme for a single, late delivery, unannounced, in villages outside Thirsk for several years? Whatever the reason, the net effect is the same as the better delivery system now promised to the people of Thirsk.

One thing about this better delivery system can already be forecast with absolute accuracy. On the basis of its catastrophic past record ,while it is unlikely to be any better for the Post Office, it is certain to be a lot worse for us, the customers!

MALCOLM WINRAM

Kirklington,

Bedale.

Losing faith

Sir, - The chairman and chief executive of Teesdale District Council know now of the vigorous opposition which exists to the proposed development of Commercial Yard in Barnard Castle.

On Wednesday of last week they were presented with a petition on this matter, signed by 1,500 people.

The fact that the people bringing the petition to the council were annoyed and upset by the way the matter had been dealt with was evident. In these circumstances it was behoven upon the council officials, who had had full notice of the presentation, to behave carefully.

Instead, the 50 petitioners were received in a small lobby of the council offices where few could hear what was said. Perhaps this was just as well, as the chief executive, Mr Anderson, chose to publicly insult Alan Wilkinson, the highly respected local historian. The insult was only withdrawn after much humming and haaing.

No wonder people are losing faith in local government, and particularly that of Teesdale, when officers and members treat their electors with disdain.

As for saving Commercial Yard, members of the public will like to know that Save Commercial Yard is an association being formed with just that in mind. We expect the SCY to fall on the council's heads.

PETER AND ANN WILSON

East Briscoe Farm,

Baldersdale,

Barnard Castle