Sir, - I would like to agree with C S Jarmain in his letter ''Unfair to Bikers'' (D&S, July 11).

I would also like to point out that there is the Ridewell 2003 event at Preston Park next Sunday. This would be an ideal place and time to present any criticisms and comments directly to the Cleveland Police and ask them what their policy is.

They will probably pass on any comments to the North Yorkshire Police, if you ask them to.

With respect to 'Unfair to Bikers', there is another area where bikers are penalised but not motorists.

Bikers are not allowed by the current legislation to use darkened visors.

They are 'supposed' to impair the vision. It also makes photographing the rider more difficult, I suppose.

But motorists in their people carriers and other trendy vehicles are allowed to have darkened windscreens, side-windows, and even rear windows.

Many that I have seen make it impossible to see who is driving, even on bright sunny days. Why is this?

Is it easier to stop and penalise a biker than it is a motorist?

I am quite sure that after sunset or in conditions which call for headlights, those vehicles with darkened glass present more of a danger than a biker with a darkened visor. The latter can be raised I might add, darkened windscreens cannot!

So if you are reading this Chief Constables of North Yorkshire Police, Cleveland Police and not forgetting the Durham Constabulary, will you appoint somebody to reply to my comments via the D&S, even if you will not yourself personally respond?

Common sense and not discrimination is what is required.

B W MOORE (motorist and biker)

Fairfield,

Stockton.

Be progressive

Sir, - Reading your recent report about help to attract new enterprise to Bedale, I had a wry smile.

My recent attempt to book a venue at Bedale Hall with Mrs Shinkfield for a Sunday charity art exhibition was turned down on the grounds that she and her staff were having the day off, as they worked every other day.

For the new enterprise to be effective, progressive traders in Bedale, of whom there are many, will have to be supported by venues with a more up-to-date and enterprising attitude.

Exhibitions by their very nature are on a day when most people are at leisure, for example weekends, and it behoves those people whose job it is to provide support and facilities to arrange staff rotas to accommodate this, not leave major venues standing idle.

The new scheme needs more forward-looking market-orientated consultants. Other communities, as listed in your article, seem to have found inspiration, and their progressive attitude is to be admired and dare I say imitated?

So come on Bedale Hall, move into the 21st century.

CAROLE CHAPMAN

Spilsby,

Lincs.

Praise is due

Sir, - I was delighted that your reporter took time to review the recent performance of Les Miserables by Stokesley School (D&S, July 11).

The review was, on the whole, very good but there are a couple of points that I feel should be rectified.

My main complaint is that the reporter failed to include one of the main soloists in the review. I feel that Sarah Glenwright gave an excellent performance as the character Eponine and I know she will be disappointed not to have been included.

On a slightly less serious but nonetheless important note, the review seemed to give praise to each main character individually except the principal character played by Paul Scovell. I think it would have been fair to include some word of praise for Paul as the role is a very difficult one and I know he must have put a lot of work into it.

I feel that more should have been said than just, "the role was played and sung by Paul Scovell".

J SMITH

John Street,

Stokesley.

Listen to residents

Sir, - I am writing in response to the report "Island to go" (D&S, June 27) in which you state that North Yorkshire County Council has removed a traffic island in York Road, Thirsk, after examining a number of options.

I would like to make it clear that far from "considering numerous options" the council ignored every alternative before and during the process of building the island, which was not even in the position shown on the original working drawing.

After two site meetings, numerous letters to the council, local MP (Anne McIntosh, who was very helpful) and absolutely no help from my local representative on the county council (who never replied to my letters, only met me once on-site and informed me that because of full-time employment could not attend any further meetings, but was able to get time off to attend monthly and other council business), the work went ahead.

Over the past 18 months, I have sent many letters to the highways department with copies to the MP and my local representative and because they did not respond, the result was stalemate.

It was only after I had forwarded the complete file to the local Ombudsman, who then took up the case on my behalf, that the whole matter was brought to a proper and satisfactory conclusion.

I want to make it clear to your readers that all this waste of public money need not have happened, if the county council had used common sense and listened to my objection before going ahead with the project.

M T SNELLING

Byland Avenue,

Thirsk.

Pure but cloudy

Sir, - I read with amused interest the report "Survey shows Yorkshire's water is close to 100pc pure" (D&S, July 11).

Is this the same Yorkshire Water that supplies my part of the county?

Drinkable it may be, and I suppose by the set standards it is 'pure', but not one word is said about the clouds of lime that clogs up kettles (two of which I have had to replace within the past couple of years), irons, washing machines, dishwashers and shower heads.

Cups of tea and coffee have the stuff floating on the top and trying to clean kitchen surfaces is a never-ending battle.

So Yorkshire Water, could you please address the problem of those grey clouds of lime in my water supplies?

I know it is harmless but that is not the point, clear water as well as pure water is what we need.

TONY & DOREEN EATON

Turker Lane,

Northallerton.

Hope for railways

Sir, - Seeing the return of a passenger service to Wensleydale (D&S, July 4) was nothing short of a revelation.

Being a WRA member and brought up with the line in the Thirties, made it a more memorable occasion, as one always thought it would be there forever.

Even after the closure of the passenger service, it was thought that with the line connecting two main London lines, it would be enough to warrant its existence.

But with an anti-rail government, it was only the determined dedication of the rail enthusiasts that saved the Settle-Carlisle from the same fate.

Now with beauty spots being unable to cope with the ever-increasing road traffic, tourism will be the main supporter.

Lack of support was the main reason for closure in the first place. In 1954 when closure of the passenger service was imminent, a meeting was held in the Askrigg Temperence Hall with people protesting vigorously against closure.

A railway man stood up and asked anyone in the hall who had used the line that week to stand up. In a packed hall, not a soul stood up. "There's your answer," he declared.

Let's hope with the dedicated enthusiasm seen over the last 13 years by those responsible for bringing back the service, that question never arises again.

DOUGLAS PUNCHARD

Keldholme,

Kirbymoorside.