21/08/04

I notice in your feature there is no mention of Postwatch, the independent consumer watchdog for the postal services. Postwatch acts as the voice of the consumer to ensure they get the best possible service from all postal service providers.

Postwatch Northern England covers the whole of the North of England and its representatives review every proposed post office closure that Post Office Ltd submits for public consultation.

Because Postwatch is the official independent watchdog, Post Office Ltd does have to listen to our views. Postwatch urges people to contact us with their views and representations about post office closures so that it can accurately represent the views of the consumer to Post Office Ltd.

Since January, Postwatch has opposed 46 proposed closures in the Northern Region. Postwatch has saved five and is still fighting for three others. Postwatch is also instrumental in ensuring that improvements are made to all remaining post offices.

Send a copy of your representation to Post Office Closures, Freepost, Postwatch or call 08456 013265 and tell us why you, the consumer, do not want your post office to close. - Judith Donovan CBE, Regional Chairman, Postwatch Northern England.

HOW ironic that the competition for best performing post offices in the region is being judged at the same time as some branches such as Low Grange, Billingham, are being forced to close (Echo, Aug 9).

Matt Silcox, chairman of the regional judging panel, says: "These awards are an opportunity for customers to tell us which branches are the best."

Well hundreds of people have protested and told the powers that be that Low Grange post office scores very highly in excellent service and friendliness, besides its convenience for so many aged and needy people.

The only award they are receiving is notice of closure. - EA Moralee, Billingham.

CROFT CIRCUIT

CROFT Circuit hosted a top event last Sunday. An event which apparently 35,000 people were willing to pay good money to see.

What a surprise then to learn through your pages that there were traffic hold-ups! Has it not occurred to anyone that there are traffic hold-ups at every major sporting event in the world? I can assure you that it's not just a phenomenon that affects the Darlington area.

To those people who have never ventured further afield than Northallerton, maybe you might care to try and drive a car in the Silverstone area on Grand Prix day, or Brands Hatch when the World Superbikes are there. What about doing a spot of sightseeing near Old Trafford when a match is on? Moto GP at Donington Park was a little congested as well, believe it or not.

I can recall being stuck in traffic for quite some time earlier in the year when Darlington were playing a fund-raising game. My own fault, I forgot it was on.

No, I think the answer to the problem is to ban all major sporting events. Then we can all go driving around in our cars without any traffic jams. Ah! the freedom of the open road.

Meanwhile back on planet Earth - congratulations to Croft for the best organised day I've had on the race circuit for a long time, and that includes a lot of top class foreign tracks. - Colin Caygill, Darlington.

HOLIDAYS

WOULD it be more beneficial for schools to have shorter breaks than the present long summer holiday? The House of Commons should also think likewise. - N Tate, Darlington.

TAXI SERVICES

REGARDING your story on difficulties facing the taxi trade and high costs, you failed to mention the £300-plus Darlington Council charges us per year to sit on ranks which a high percentage of the time we have no access to.

Also a driver like myself, working within a company, has to find £5,000-plus per annum for radio rental and your council spokesman states that the trade is only down two cars on two years ago.

But how many cars is it down on five years ago, a period which has seen the population rise due to several housing developments?

The council is forever bleating on about safety issues, so why can it not supply us with CCTV for our taxis to protect us from the abusive and intoxicated customers we encounter from time to time.

That facility has been afforded for its own fleet of green buses. - Gavin Ellis, Darlington.

PUBLIC TOILETS

IN the last fortnight I have been approached by visitors to the village of Sedgefield asking where the public conveniences were.

I had to tell them that they had not been open for some considerable time, due to the fact that our esteemed parish council could not find a person to clean them regularly. I doubt that these people will want to return.

So, as a solution for our esteemed councillors, why don't they work out a rota for themselves and truly justify their position? - C Brian Hunter, Sedgefield.

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS

POLITICAL correctness is the curse of our age, not least because, by derailing rational discussion, it is eroding the foundations of our democracy.

A principal weapon in the armoury of the politically correct brigade is the accusation of racism. It is of extreme value to them because it is a highly effective way of discrediting their opponents and at the same time promoting themselves to the moral high ground. - T Kelly, Crook.

FOUNTAIN

IT was reported recently that the fountain in Spennymoor town centre is to be removed even though it has been in place for less than six years.

The reason given is that it has become a target for vandals. This is a fountain that was supposed to be "vandal-proof".

Spennymoor Liberal Democrats argued and campaigned against this waterfall for years on the grounds that it was completely unnecessary. The fountain itself cost more than £17,000 to install, so how much is it going to take to remove?

This money could have been much better spent somewhere else. - Coun Martin Jones, Lib Dem Councillor for Spennymoor.