03/05/05

Is it fair that a millionaire receives the same benefits as a little old lady who has a bare minimum pension on which to live?

There is no question of abolishing a basic state retirement pension and most would agree that it should be adequate to provide relative dignity and comfort for all.

Some finish up better off than others but men and women alike contribute a full working life for Britain and deserve proper reward.

We know the full effect of continuous rising prices, having seen how earnings have had to race to keep pace throughout our lives.

Unless it is set at a realistic level and linked to the cost of living and wages, the basic pension will slip further and further behind, and no end of little titbits will ever alter that. - George Appleby, York.

MOTOR SPORT

IT IS with the usual arrogance of the Government that motor sport has been banned on farmland.

This applies to motor cycle trials, autograss racing and many other sports, hill climbing etc. This has been brought in through the back door, as it has not been through the House of Commons.

After the hunting ban and the uproar it caused, the present ban of motor sport has been carpet slippered through, hoping to get away without a protest.

It is for anyone connected with motor sport to have a long, hard think who they vote for. - C Brown, Richmond.

IS THIS JUSTICE?

I TOTALLY agree with your front page headline: "The week that shamed justice" (Echo, Apr 22).

The poor woman who was raped by that monster will not forget or get over her ordeal in four years. Life should mean life - especially when this was not his first offence of this nature.

And changes in the Road Traffic Act are well overdue. Neither Conservatives nor Labour seem to care about loss of life due to irresponsible drivers.

I have never forgotten the case some years ago of a 12-year-old girl who was killed on a zebra crossing by a learner driver who had been drinking. He received a six months prison sentence.

I bet the young girl's family is still suffering all these years later.

When is a government of this country going to deal with these drivers as the killers they are? - Margaret Burns, Wingate.

INSECURITY

OVER the last few years, the people of south west Durham have suffered major job losses, cuts to public services and a surge in crime, resulting in great insecurity in peoples lives.

During the two Labour governments of recent years, the minimum wage was introduced, which should, as far as south west Durham is concerned, read the average wage.

Mr Blair is unrepresentative of his constituents and has never been there to support those who lost their jobs, is never available to discuss the huge surge in crime at a local level, and is unaccountable for his actions in taking us to war.

Give all Members of Parliament a reminder of exactly who calls the shots in this country. Vote for Keys, and ensure we are represented at Westminster on a full-time basis. - Norman Smith, Newton Aycliffe.

WAIT AND SEE

IT WAS with concern that I read (Echo, Apr 26) that Darlington Football Club is considering offering David Hodgson a new long term contract.

Without doubt, Darlo fans will forever be grateful for the things he has done to save us in our hour of need, but this has to be tempered with the way things have gone on the pitch.

An unsettled side, under-performing players in an oversize squad, inept tactics and formations and blowing it whenever a large crowd appears, does not bode well.

Given that he has already got a rolling contract, there seems little point to renew long term by either party and no signature should be sought until the outcome of the possible play-offs for promotion are decided.

If Darlo get promoted then he could possibly be given a contract as gates would undoubtedly rise with the likes of Notts Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Hartlepool on the agenda. - Mark Anderson, Darlington.

PARKING COSTS

RE your article about the new paid parking areas in Darlington town centre, (Echo, April 25), I would take issue with both councillors' comments and the amount earned, ie £112,000.

The money includes fines from the first two months which produced the greater amount - more than half the total. After four months, I am told, the earnings were £95,000 of which £58,000 was from overstay fines.

Thus, the last two months would indicate that the use of the parking has reduced considerably, which would rather support Tony Richmond's comment: "People are not using it".

However, I can inform him that the great majority of people are using the streets just outside the area, clogging them for most of the day, which is not going down very well with residents.

From this evidence, I would have to question what appears to be very muddled thinking from those who we trust to spend our money. - GR Hinton, Darlington.

IN YOUR newspaper, council leader John Williams said: "If you take Grange Road, for example, it is full all day of shoppers parking short term instead of long stay commuters as we had before." I beg to differ.

Grange Road was not long term parking for commuters. It was short term only, and the present charges will only make it difficult for the shopkeepers in Grange Road to make their businesses viable.

On Monday, April 25, I noticed how many of the on street parking areas were empty. Even the car parks were nowhere near full.

As it was market day in Darlington, I leave it to the town's residents to draw their own conclusions. - Stan Johnson, Darlington.

BEAM ME UP

DAVE Cadman's view on pollution issues in Darlington (HAS, Apr 20) may be strengthened when the council's new high quality transport system is implemented.

New one-way bus routes in Priestgate and Crown Street will produce more noise and pollution. Two buses per minute will travel up Priestgate, stopping and starting, and will be accompanied by a council pollution official who will ensure that all engines are turned off while buses are standing.

Caf users in Priestgate will be able to watch the buses go along the tunnel under the Cornmill centre. For obvious reasons, only the nimblest of shoppers will be allowed into Priestgate.

The council says restricted traffic access and the increase of noise may temporarily discourage shoppers. Ah yes. Only temporarily.

The council with its futuristic thinking has a cunning plan and is on another planet in discussion with a company called Beam-me-up!

It will supply tele-transporters to beam shoppers directly into the absolutely traffic-free zone. Hopefully, the council will do the initial test run and be transported back down to Earth and reality or maybe to another galaxy. - L Hume, Darlington.