Sir, - I doubt if many of your readers are aware that a Driving Restriction Order at High Cleugh, Ripon has been issued to "allow the erection of bollards across the road so as to prevent vehicles from contravening the existing Access Only Order on Borrage Lane."

If this is confirmed, an important minor road linking the Harrogate Road with Mallorie Park Drive will be permanently denied to motorists, even in an emergency.

One has to ask, why the existing Access Only Order was imposed in the first place, other than to provide a private road for the Borrage Lane residents at the council taxpayers' expense?

The road is narrow certainly, but in my experience the majority of those drivers who have used it have done so with due consideration for others.

If, for some reason or another, there is a blockage at the Somerset Road junction, only Borrage Lane offers an access to the west of the city at Mallorie Park Drive.

We have few enough roads in Ripon as it is, as those trying to negotiate their way around the city today with the present road repairs will testify.

The one thing that is certain, is that motor traffic will continue to increase and yet it seems our highway authorities are intent on imposing ever more restrictions on drivers.

I urge all concerned drivers to object to this "Prohibition of Driving, High Cleugh Order 2004" and to demand that the present absurd "Access Only Order" along Borrage Lane be rescinded.

Objections must be submitted to Head of Legal Services, Room 17D, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD by March 22.

JACK RICHARDSON

Mallorie Close,

Ripon.

Cost of freedom

Sir, - The subject of this letter - rural tranquillity and peaceful existence - is a direct quote from Lynn Johnson's letter (D&S Mar 12).

I find it very sad when people fail to realise that had it not been for the Royal Air Force they would either not even exist, or if they did they would be writing their letter of complaint on a different subject and they would have been writing in the German language.

They would certainly not have such a thing as rural tranquillity or a peaceful existence. They would probably be dead.

May I suggest that they visit Harrogate cemetery where they will see countless graves of young British, American and Canadian airmen who gave their lives for the freedom of individuals to write such rubbish.

I urge them to think again.

Rev TED SPILLER

Topcliffe Road,

Sowerby,

Thirsk.

Child protection

Sir, - I was worried to discover that a third of schools surveyed by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children were concerned that child abuse could go unnoticed because teachers lacked the necessary child protection training.

And when I learned that over half of newly qualified teachers, also surveyed by the NSPCC, were involved in at least one child protection case in their first 18 months of teaching, I knew I must support the NSPCC's campaign call for all teachers to have high-quality child protection training.

That's why I wrote to the Minister for Children, Margaret Hodge MP, to insist that the Government ensures there are enough resources to enable all teachers to have this training.

The Government is looking at how to improve child protection in schools. We must tell them that this can only be achieved if there are enough resources Readers can find out more and email Margaret Hodge MP by visiting http://www.nspcc. org.uk /campaigning.

P FORSYTH

Office Square,

Darlington.

Not uniform

Sir, - I was not surprised at the confusion over the dress of the Chief Superintendent when meeting the Duke of York recently (D&S Mar 12).

Dress codes in the armed services as well as the police seem to have changed so much over the last 40 years that it must be difficult to keep up, although I should have thought that the required dress for the visit would have been decided at staff level prior to the visit.

I was disappointed to see on the front page of a regimental magazine last October, the Queen being escorted on a unit visit by a Brigadier and a Lieutenant Colonel both dressed in combat dress although the ADC and county representative were formally attired.

Over my years in the service I lost count of the variations in dress that I was required to wear. It varied from "Dad's Army" battledress and denims similar to that now worn as camouflaged combat dress, three variations in service dress as worn in Europe, the Middle and Far East, No 1 formal dress and two variations of mess kit. Over this I wore as weather dictated, a riding mac, great coat or British Warm.

I had many colours and shapes of hats in my wardrobe from the dark blue beret to the bowler that I have kept. I presume that the Navy has had similar changes hence Prince Andrew's comments.

I hope that the police officer was not wearing the ubiquitous "one size fits all" baseball cap that now seems to be taken up by some police!

MICHAEL HUTTON

East Green

Cotherstone.