Letters: Poor responses

Those at Bainbridge ambulance station, for example, regularly risk their lives in harsh winters on dangerous roads on life-saving missions. However, in attempting to meet the new government ambulance response times they have been under-resourced so I welcome the new "number one commitment" by the health authority to make Bainbridge a 24-hour station, and to boost the hours of operation of the Richmondshire roving ambulance.

The statistics are that against the government target of 75pc of emergency calls receiving an ambulance in eight minutes, Middlesbrough scores 88pc, North Yorkshire scores 73pc other than Hambleton and Richmondshire which scores only 58.3pc.

So the sooner the health authority matches its commitment with cash the better. Why not now? It could finance it (£260,000) from the £550,000 savings the ambulance trusts' merger generated, promised then to go into front line services.

With the ink hardly dry on letters of support for the fledgling Hambleton and Richmondshire primary care trust, the response of David Smith, PCG chairman, was bitterly disappointing.

Its consultation documents promised local primary care and local access to healthcare services. There was a commitment to improving access to "appropriate local emergency services".

Obviously he considers it is not appropriate for us here in the Dales and Richmondshire to receive the government standard ambulance response time - we have to make choices between this and other healthcare services, a choice no other area covered by TENYAS ambulances has to make.

David Smith's glib point about our current service giving a response in 12 rather than eight minutes completely ignores the length of time our patients have to travel to get to hospital once the ambulance has arrived. In Hawes that is one hour, so every minute saved in the initial response could mean the difference between life and death.

Perhaps we should have been sceptical about the promises the new trust was making in its glossy brochures. Its earlier response to the provision of cardiac rehabilitation (a government health priority) at the excellent but under-used Richmond community hospital was refusal because "the majority of patients reside in Hambleton and the Friarage hospital in Northallerton is nearer to them". The cost of this locally accessible service is only £8,000 but apparently it stretched the PCG budget of £60m.

All of this smacks of a second class healthcare service for the dales and Richmondshire. We have absolutely no intention of being poor country cousins so sorry, Mr Smith, this will not do.

Coun JOHN BLACKIE

Leader, Richmondshire District Council,

Market Place,

Hawes.

My reasons

Sir,. - Mr William Mayne (D&S letters, Oct 19) states that he has lost my reason. I am not certain but I think he means that he has lost his understanding of my reason(s).

Which is a pity, as the issue was straightforward. Firstly, Saltburn improvement company conducted no public consultation before it decided to foist the statues on to Saltburn residents.

Secondly, Saltburn improvement company commissioned the statues (and presumably committed themselves to pay for them) before applying for planning permission.

Thirdly, comments on the aesthetic merits or lack of merit of the statues have been generally adverse. I quote from the councillors at the planning meeting (D&S, Dec 15 2000): "Ward members had not been consulted about the scheme"; "I am lost for words to think we could consider putting this in a conservation area"; "They look atrocious, the figures would be out of place, they would be a hazard and they are ugly."

Those were reactions to the photographs of the statues which Saltburn improvement company chose to present. Clearly those councillors thought that those comments were necessary and best expressed their views as to the merits of the statues.

As for ridicule, the statues have been concocted from amongst other items, the following: a cash box lid, guard's whistle, axle covers, seaside and fishing items, bronze axe heads, grates, jewels, biblical references, a guards bell and ticket snipers. Is such gimmickry to be taken seriously?

As to Mr Maynes' last point, he should note that Saltburn improvement company's previous chairman resigned because of his concern over financial management of the public funds which were entrusted to Saltburn improvement company.

BRIAN KENNEDY

Gill Street,

Saltburn-on-Sea.

Rail subsidies

Sir, - As a (token) shareholder in the Wensleydale Railway Company, I must reply to Mr Walker of Cookridge (D&S letters, Oct 26).

I was not aware that I was supporting a charity. Further, there is not a mode of transport from Concorde to Shank's Pony that does not rely on some greater or lesser element of public subsidy.

In Europe, only in Britain is it regarded as acceptable to question subsidies for safe, clean and efficient public transport.

If Mr Walker wishes to adhere to his principle, he will have to resort to his own attic, where he can, if he wishes, play with his (unsubsidised) Dinky toys.

CHRIS PURSER

Front Street,

Sowerby,

Thirsk.

Fair point

Sir, - I would like to add my comments about Yarm fair.

I am all in favour of the fair, as it is a wonderful ancient tradition, which gives pleasure still to many people.

This country must fight to keep its old traditions, as we are rapidly becoming a very boring place, because of all the miserable killjoys who want to spoil anything in England that is traditional and fun.

The shopkeepers should shut up and accept the inconvenience the fair causes for a few days. They make enough money for the other 51 weeks of the year.

You do not hear the people of Stokesley grumble when the fair comes to visit and it is there for a whole week.

Finally, as a resident of Eaglescliffe I welcome the fair, as it is the one week of the year, when there are no traffic jams along Durham Lane and Urlay Nook Road.

It always amazes me how the selfish, inconsiderate people of Yarm can find a different route home during fair week. Why can you not do it all the year round?

(Mrs) G E BASHFORD

Mayfield Crescent,

Eaglescliffe.

Healing gases

Sir, - As a postscript to Nicholas Rhea's Countryman's Diary (D&S, Oct 26). I was reminded that as a child in my native town of Tring in Hertfordshire, I was taken to the local gasworks to inhale the fumes to clear up the residual symptoms of whooping cough. I wonder how widespread this custom was?

Dr CHRISTOPHER COLE

Low Mill,

Bainbridge,

Leyburn