TIME FOR BAN: RECENT sad events on the road involving horse-drawn devices are not the last, I fear. As traffic continues to increase and roads are less able to cope, such incidents are inevitable.

After more than 40 years in the long distance driving business I have seen such changes. Vehicles are so much better, but roads and a lot of drivers are not.

Once, a driver's main concern was coaxing the oil-burning pig up the next hill. Nowadays, the main problem is staying awake. A lot of drivers use certain over-the-counter drugs to maintain awareness.

This sort of thing combined with the presence of slow-moving, camouflaged contraptions - without the reflective items with which motor vehicles and particularly heavy goods vehicles are festooned for very obvious reasons - makes for a dangerous situation.

Much debate over the historic rights of horses and carts usually avoids obvious points. Any fool can buy a horse and cart and venture onto the local bypass, causing mayhem. There is no need for the driver to be experienced, competent or sober. What is the reaction time of a horse in milliseconds in an emergency and who can say what is the range of a horse's vision or hearing?

It is just too dangerous now and from an animal welfare point of view, if nothing else, it is time to ban horses from A class roads. - Colin Dent, Croxdale.

GOLF COMPLEX PLAN

WITH the formal submission of the planning application for the redevelopment of Rockliffe Park, Hurworth, into a golfing and hotel complex (Echo, June 21) questions need to be asked of estate owners Middlesbrough FC and Darlington Borough Council.

Initially, the local community appears generally favourable, but both parties need to ensure all concerns are addressed and any agreements entered into are enforced.

Key to this will be ensuring that the village character is not impacted upon. I am sure I am not alone in fearing the need for double yellow lines everywhere and resident permit schemes to overcome the numbers attending the "prestigious competitions" mentioned.

While Middlesbrough FC's existing club training facilities have presented little problem to the village, the club has not shown any willingness to engage with the community.

I would suggest it is now time the club took its community responsibility seriously and worked with groups and schools to develop links and see how they can be of mutual benefit.

This will also be an excellent opportunity for the council to prove it is, after all, concerned with rural issues and has the ability to act in an open, transparent, and accountable manner. - Ian Holme, Hurworth, Darlington.

ARRIVA SERVICES

WHY is it that Arriva continues to pretend to run a bus service when it cannot fulfil its obligations according to the timetables?

It may be that a bus has broken down, which I must say is understandable due to the state of some of its vehicles that have been brought from other parts of the country and seen years of service (and the smell of diesel is horrendous).

Services 8 and 12 must be the worst hit in the region, so why not give these runs to one of our local bus companies, which we know we can rely on? Or let us have some new buses, the same as any other area.

On Wednesday, June 7, it took 90 minutes to get to Barnard Castle - and there are other occasions too numerous to mention.

Is Arriva just not interested in this part of the region? It should be. There have been plenty of complaints. - Nancy Peart, West Auckland, Co Durham.

POWER AND GREED

BRAVO to CT Riley (HAS, June 13) who, with a few well-chosen words, succinctly highlights the hypocrisy of the rich Western countries in their dealings with the Third World.

They only get the crumbs from our table, yet we preen ourselves, indeed indulge ourselves, with thoughts of how good we are to these unfortunate people.

Democracy may be the best of various options, but we only elect those who we feel will not take too much out of our pockets.

Given the miserable state of our world in this, would you believe it, the 21st century, I in all honesty cannot see much changing. - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

SLAVERY

CT Riley (HAS, June 13) asserts we built our empire on slavery and racism. Does he not know we, in fact, abolished the slave trade in all the countries we ruled in 1830 and were the first in the world to do so.

In 1945 we were bankrupt when the Second World War ended. We were told to "export or die" and have since recovered from this disaster with no slavery involved.

I wonder why Mr Riley has omitted to mention these facts. - Caralyn Lee, Darlington.

POST-MATCH MAYHEM

I READ that a pub in Peterborough is the first to be closed (for 28 days) under the new Licensing Act. This followed incidents of rowdiness and fighting.

Will the magistrates in Darlington take the same firm action following the mayhem in Skinnergate after England's first televised World Cup football match on Saturday, June 10?

These idiots, who had been drinking in nearby pubs beforehand, broke shop windows, climbed scaffolding and threatened shop assistants.

Our police officers have a thankless task and need support from our magistrates. - Name supplied, Darlington.

WRONG BILLS

I HAVE just read Mary Hind's letter about problems with a British Gas bill (HAS, June 16). I, too, have had major problems, a bill for nearly £500 for my new house (I had only been in two months), threats of disconnection if not paid, etc.

Eventually, after numerous phone calls and letters which took nearly six weeks, I paid them £126 and got another company to supply my gas, which is what you should do, Mary. They might get their act together and employ some decent staff if all their over-billed and threatened customers do the same as me. - Gary Longstaff, Darlington.

ENLIGHTEN ME

WITH regard to the use of small wind turbines and solar photovoltaic panels on domestic premises I would like to make the following request.

Could someone from each of the respective industries possibly confirm just which domestic electrical appliances can be directly powered by these low output systems? Any replies would be illuminating. - John Routledge, Witton Gilbert, Durham.

SENSE OVER JAILS

AT last, some common sense from the Conservatives with plans to build more prisons for criminals to be kept behind bars for longer. It's what the public has wanted for so long. Tough on crime should be implemented to the full for the protection of the public. - N Tate, Darlington.

FULL UP

SO, the jails are full. The roads are crowded at peak times. It's not easy to get early appointments at dentists and the NHS. Young people struggle to get a house. Seems to me Britain is overcrowded - 60 million is far too many people for this island. - Fred M Atkinson, Shincliffe, Durham.