Letters: No town pride

Oh how I wish there was. How can you have pride when the town centre is such a disgrace. It is dirty and litter laden. The pavements are disgusting. Money was spent cleaning chewing gum off them that would have been better spent putting down some decent slabs. Some of the shops fronts need a good wash down or a lick of paint. It would certainly improve them.

There is little to attract tourists unless they are fishermen or walkers, and we certainly have nothing for our young people.

I am not criticising the Ralph Fitzrandal, but wouldn't it have been more use had the council bought the building for use as a cinema, a bowling alley or perhaps a disco?

Unless some money is spent on doing something for the people who live and pay their taxes here, our "Pride" will stay sadly flagging. I also read that we are to have a town ranger, another way to waste money. Why? We have an excellent tourist information office with very helpful and friendly staff. What next? Will this close along with the shops?

Richmond is a very beautiful town which should be a jewel in Yorkshire's crown, but between county, district, and town councils it is being left to die while they argue about who should do what.

Where is the civic pride in the town, no freedom parades, no beating of retreat in the castle, or anything else for that matter. I have a deep love for this lovely old town , with its age old traditions and customs. I was born and bred here, so I feel very strongly about its past and its future. So come on councillors let's start with you, show us your pride, let us have the traditions and customs kept.

To all townspeople, some of whom are downright apathetic, stand up and be counted and let us show the world we do have pride; or will it be as Coun Blease once said "will the last one to leave put out the light", RIP Richmond.

CYNTHIA WILCOX

High Riding,

Richmond.

Not justified

Sir, - I refer to your recent article regarding the "bus lane" on Yarm Road in Eaglescliffe.

I found it astounding that the "consultative report" on the Bus Lane was compiled without any consultation with local residents who have the misfortune to be living in the middle of it. I am one of these and having spoken to my neighbours, I know that none of us have been approached for comments.

I personally have had several "near misses" with my car since the bus lane was put in, and never in 30 years of driving have I had so many. I think this lane is not really being used as a "bus lane' at all but a dual carriageway on a very fast moving road, When I pull out onto the main road I have to accelerate very quickly to stop speeding drivers going into the back of my car.

When I return from work I have to cross the long line of waiting traffic going into Yarm from Stockton, to get to my garage. Usually cars pull back creating a gap for me to cross the traffic into my drive - some other road users feel that they should not wait in line so therefore overtake on the inside bus lane thus nearly taking off my front end. This has happened to me no less than five times - very frightening.

It seems to me that the three minutes saved on the odd bus journey over this quarter mile stretch of road, operating only a few hours a day for a very small number of bus users cannot possibly justify the inconvenience for the rest of the road users all of the time.

TINA BELL

Yarm Road,

Eaglescliffe.

Poorer option

Sir, - New proposals for the county council ward boundaries for Richmondshire are to be discussed at the area committee meeting on Monday, July 1.

Option A, as detailed in the county's letter to parish councils, is a set of proposals which include separating Richmond town into three parts, each of which would be joined to rural parishes around Richmond, to form three wards that would each have about 5,900 electors.

This would be bad news for Richmond. Our town has a distinct identity, with local issues and concerns very different from the surrounding more rural area.

The interests of the town would be represented by three councillors each of whom might well disagree about priorities for Richmond. Also each councillor might not take seriously the interests of the Richmond town electors as they would only make up one third of the electorate in each ward.

These proposals seem to have more to do with making sure that a seat is not lost in Richmondshire and that those elected are Tories, rather than proper representation for the electors of Richmond.

JOHN HARRIS

District and town councillor for Richmond Town East Ward

Ronaldshay Drive,

Richmond.

Pick it up, all of it

Sir, - The clerk to Marwood Parish Council wrote to me recently asking what could be done about dog fouling on public paths in the countryside.

He said that concerns had been expressed at a council meeting by a number of people using paths in the Kinninvie area. There is also a noticeable problem on some paths in Middleton in Teesdale.

The answer is simple, surely. Dog owners should take plastic bags with them, whether walking their dogs on pavements or on country paths, and clear up after their pets. It is no less unpleasant to step in dog mess on a country path than anywhere else, and it often can't be seen so clearly, and avoided, when on a country path.

JO BIRD

Membership secretary, Ramblers' Association, North Yorks & South Durham area

Barnard Castle.

Speed issues

Sir, - I read that North Yorkshire County Council is to introduce more 20mph speed limits (D&S, June 7).

I would like to ask if the drawbacks in having a 20mph speed limit have been thoroughly looked at? There is to my mind increased danger of various sorts from low speed in built up areas.

First, most of today's cars and small vans have a five or six speed gear box, and if the van I drive is anything to go by, will just comfortably manage 30mph in fourth gear. Travelling at 20mph will mean using third gear which means an increased engine speed of about 500 revolutions per minute.

That means that each vehicle driving along that speed restriction spends longer in that area creating a good deal more pollution to blow into people's house and schools, with the attendant ill effects.

Secondly, pedestrians take chances crossing the road in front of vehicles doing 30 mph, if the vehicles are only doing 20mph, they are going to take greater risks believing they are safer, so more people will get hurt.

Children dart out onto the road whatever the speed, so 20mph will not protect them. The only way to protect people from road users is to educate them into acting safely, and to be much more careful when they have children out on the roadside with them.

Most drivers are well aware of pedestrians and other road users in urban areas especially around schools, but there will always be the odd rogue driver no matter how low the speed limit, who will cause mayhem.

Thirdly, there is the financial cost to business road users as the number of 20mph zones increases. If we spend more time on the road going slowly, we spend less time being productive and we all pay.

We have reached the point where we can no longer go any slower than 30mph and have any sort of gain or improvement. Has anyone done a study on a stretch of road before and after the imposition of a 20mph speed limit? Does anyone reading this live next to a 20mph speed limit, is there an increase of fumes, and people taking risks?

I would ask North Yorkshire County Council to delay these speed limit changes until they can carry out studies to show the impact of these issues.

C D KIRK

Danes Crest,

Brompton,

Northallerton.