Letters: Mart solution

What a preposterous idea, scream the residents of Front Street - and quite right too. But traffic to and from the mart has to use roads - and those roads pass other people's property.

Surely the fact is that any site in Sowerby and Thirsk is unsuitable. Part of the problem is caused by bad planning in the past, or at the very least a lack of foresight - for example, no access onto the bypass from the A170 Scarborough/Thirsk Road.

By all means relocate the mart but moving it from one side of Thirsk to the other is not the solution.

L G TWISS

Barbeck,

Thirsk.

Mart response

Sir, - As chairman and on behalf of Thirsk Auction Mart Co Ltd, may I reply to the letters in the Darlington & Stockton Times on September 19.

Firstly, the problem with narrow Blakey Lane as suggested by Mr Parnaby. If planning permission is given, might some traffic regulations be imposed to finally solve the problem of the narrow Blakey Lane and its bridge.

Secondly, queuing of traffic. Mr Parnaby is quite right, but this site is approximately 20 acres (our present one is eight). Planners take note of such situations and the present plans devised by our manager, Rodney Cordingley, and auctioneer, Tony Thompson, with their practical knowledge, are for all traffic to be driven to the back of the buildings where there is ample room.

The unloading of cattle and checking of ear tag numbers (imposed by the ministry) now takes a long time and our present unloading is just inside the Station Road entrance - hence the queues.

Thirsk Auction Mart started 98 years ago and used to manage 15 to 20 cattle per week. It had reached to over 600 before foot-and-mouth. At present it does between 350 and 450 and is the largest fat cattle market in Great Britain.

Quite naturally, our directors and staff look forward hopefully to building an auction mart and agricultural centre, with Askham Bryan College, that Thirsk can be proud of.

For myself, I have earned my living mainly through agriculture over the last 56 years and I sincerely wish that the next generations of young farmers can do the same.

H WOODHEAD

Piper Hill,

Felixkirk,

Thirsk.

Council role

Sir, - I should like to add my comments to those made by Carol Pack in the report regarding Thirsk In Bloom (D&S, Sept 19).

As an active committee member and volunteer of Thirsk In Bloom, it has been pleasing to witness the overall improvement throughout the town recently, as was reflected by the successful judging results over the spring and summer.

However, although we do appreciate the council's financial support, the work is all carried out by a relatively small group of keen volunteers like myself. It is therefore disappointing to be told that Thirsk could be much improved if only the highway edges and footpaths were properly weeded and maintained.

We cannot complete everything that is required in order to improve our results and if we as volunteers can make a difference, then it is time Hambleton Council appreciated this and did its part, completing its statutory obligations for Thirsk. In doing so it would help improve the environment and tidiness for our increasingly busy town, for one and all.

STEPHEN DALLEYWATER

Nursery Gardens,

Thirsk.

Can't see sign

Sir, - On the approach to Guisborough from Pinchinthorpe via the Stokesley Road, the 30 mph speed restriction signs near to The Voyager, are greatly obstructed by the large hedge on both sides of the road.

I would suspect that this would affect the enforcement of the speed restriction in that area. Subsequently any prosecutions may fail.

The signs have been so obstructed since May of this year as I can verify. You would think the council in view of the recent publicity about speed restriction signs would take more care in ensuring such signs were clearly visible on approach.

TOM BRIDDOCK

Ingleby Road,

Great Broughton.