02/07/04

He wants to install more cameras, but to have them hidden. He has succeeded in alienating 80 per cent of drivers in North Wales and then has the arrogance to call them 'petrolheads'.

The road safety campaigners have also hit out, saying that cameras are causing accidents rather than stopping them through drivers being distracted while looking at their speeds too often.

Richard Brunstrom wants Tony Blair to back his harebrained ideas, but this may have a catastrophic effect with the voters and may lead to a repetition of a few weeks ago.

David Blunkett should remove this man from his post and replace him with someone of the same calibre as Paul Garvin of Durham Police. - A McKinnon, Crook.

EUROPE

I WONDER how long Robert Kilroy-Silk was interested in coming out of the European Union, until he lost his cosy number as a TV presenter?

He is being used by a party that has no other policy, but he is also using them to get into the public eye. - G Hodgson, Bishop Auckland.

HEALTH SERVICE

THE NHS today is much better than it was, mainly because of the Government's policy of investment.

When one considers that, in 1997, with the NHS being widely regarded as an under-performing service, it was a bold move by Labour to make such investment.

On a recent visit to a North-East hospital I was very impressed with how beautiful and spotlessly clean everything was.

In the NHS today more staff are being recruited and patient waiting times are lower.

These improvements, I feel are likely to continue under a Labour Government. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.

PERHAPS some of your readers can throw some light on something that puzzles me: namely if, as stated in the media over the last few years, that the NHS is running better than ever, then why should John Reid tell us that by the year 2008 we will have waiting time for treatment down to 18 weeks?

Does this mean that the waiting time at present is still over this time, bearing in mind previous statements about everything being better? - Peter Brown, Trimdon Village.

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT

THE establishment of a Regional Assembly will not in itself resolve the problems of the North-East.

It will be decided by the quality of the politicians. If we could create politicians who were able, compassionate and responsive to the hopes of people as easily as the proposed regional structure, then it would be a very glad, confident morning indeed.

However, I must say I fear the worst. In my limited experience, I have found that many councillors do not fully understand politics and stand for office because they want to 'be something' rather than motivate their people.

Others, that do have a grasp, often embark on a 'career', seeking advancement using the former as support.

It is almost inevitable that we will see the same faces we now see at county and district levels. Grey men in suits, who have never achieved much of import. If you put mediocre in you will get mediocrity out.

The proposed assembly would almost certainly be the middle class, governing for the middle class, whichever party is elected.

Who will speak for the people here? - John Beech, Kelloe.

PUBLIC SERVANTS

IF top positions in government departments are chosen on merit they should also take the consequences for failure.

A lot of them have had it so good in the past. It would gain the public's confidence and trust getting the right person to take responsibility and a better service with good results on the agenda to go with the salary and pension they receive.

You do not see many resigning unless they get a good pay-off and pension. - N Tate, Darlington.

TERRORISM

HOW bizarre is the world of politics. The US, with British help, is adamant that it will defeat terrorists.

But where did the IRA get most of its money to blow up buildings and shoot dead British soldiers? They were welcomed in America, and revered.

Most of their armaments were bought from Colonel Gadaffi in Libya, who now admits they were responsible for the Lockerbie bombing and deaths of many Americans.

He will now pay millions in compensation, so it seems that the money the US gave to the IRA (which went to Gadaffi) will now be returned to America.

But the lives lost in Northern Ireland and at Lockerbie can never be justified as they changed nothing. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

SECOND WORLD WARD

IT is incredible that one of the many Second World War memories that has remained with me was rekindled after reading both Mary Grant (HAS, June 18) and David Thompson (HAS, June 24) regarding the aircraft that crashed near Shildon in 1944.

I firmly believe that the blaze of fire seen by Mary Grant was from a four-engine bomber that, prior to its crashing, was seen by a couple of pals and myself before the sad and tragic events which finally ended with a terrific explosion which occurred approximately, we were later to discover, three miles from where we stood.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon sometime between 4.30pm and 5.30pm in the spring or early summer of 1944. While standing near the end house of Woodham View, Windlestone, we first heard the heavy drone and the spluttering noise of an aircraft engine.

We could see smoke coming from one of the aircraft's four engines, which was thought to be an American flying fortress bomber until it got nearer, when we saw the Royal Air Force insignia roundels.

We were aware it was in serious trouble as it continued its flight in a parallel line with Woodham View, for we could see it was losing height rapidly with a spluttering noise coming from the engine.

Finally, it disappeared from the western horizon when we heard a terrific explosion.

We did not see any crew members bail out. Both height and time would have been against them.

Some of the older boys who were fortunate enough to own a push bike took off down the Great North Road (A167) for the Rushyford-Bishop Auckland road, thinking they may help in some way.

We were told later the aircraft had crashed near Gurney Valley, Old Eldon, and that all the crew had died.

I remember my mam cried, for my brother was serving with the RAF.

However, he was one of the lucky ones. He came home to us. - Frank Bellwood, Bishop Middleham.