RAILWAYS

IN recent years the economy of the North-East has been one of Europe's success stories. In part, this has been the result of having good transport links based around the major international airport in Newcastle and a train service to London and Edinburgh which although not perfect is the most modern on the British network, having been upgraded in the late 1980s with new trains and electrification.

However, if the region wants to stay ahead of the game, Virgin believes that the railway needs to be radically better than it is today. Not only does there need to be a large increase in capacity to carry many more passengers, but a new generation of trains is required which can safely carry people quickly to their destination. This is our vision of where the railway needs to go and we do not believe that the modest proposals of the current operator, GNER, using unsuitable tilting trains are sufficient to give the people of the North-East of England a railway fit for the 21st Century.

In practical terms what does this all mean for Darlington and other cities in the region? Well for a start it means a commitment from Virgin to spend over a billion pounds on new trains, and if the Government approves a still bigger commitment for new sections of track to speed up the journey and get people to London more frequently and faster than ever before. We believe that this can only practically be done with a new generation of high speed trains designed to run safely and efficiently on what is already the straightest railway in Britain. We also propose a whole range of new direct services between Teesside and London which would be operated by new generation of high speed diesel trains. Finally, we are prepared to commit to a feasibility study into a complete redesign of the station at Darlington to create new platforms and a track layout that would greatly expand the capacity of the station for all trains operators.

Virgin took over the worst railway in Britain on the West Coast three years ago with a commitment to build a new generation of much faster and more frequent trains. As we speak, £1.2bn is being spent on those trains which will start going into service next year. £4.8bn is also being spent on the track to give cities such as Liverpool and Manchester a fast efficient and friendly service by 2003. It is our belief that the East Coast needs the same level of commitment if it is to serve its customers and help in the regeneration of the economy of the region. - Sir Richard Branson.

GAME BIRDS

PAM Lightfoot (HAS, Nov 3) follows the animal rights campaigning group Animal Aid in misrepresenting game shooting and the hard work which gamekeepers do.

The rearing of game birds has some parallels with farm animal husbandry, in that all game birds, when captive, are subject to strict laws against cruelty.

Furthermore, it is certainly not in a gamekeeper's interest to harm his birds in any way or to keep them in conditions likely adversely to affect their health.

Once released into the countryside game birds will benefit from the conservation of woodlands, hedgerows and are the hallmark of the gamekeeping profession. Some will be shot and will enter the food chain like farm animals, but many - often most - will survive to thrive and breed in the varied and rich habitats that most shooting estates provide. - David Clark, Chairman, National Gamekeepers' Organisation, Bishop Auckland.

HISTORY REPEATED

IN the excellent TV series a History of Britain, the presenter, Simon Schama, explained that after defeating the Scots in battle, King Edward I of England, realised that in order to keep a demoralised people subjugated, he needed to destroy their sense of identity and culture.

One of the methods he used to achieve this was to remove the Stone of Destiny - on which Scottish kings were traditionally crowned - to England.

The "kings" of the EU are currently pursuing the same destructive strategy against the British people.

In January they imposed on us the metric system. Sterling, currently used by the fourth largest trading nation on the planet (us) is their next target.

If we let them, they will consign sterling to the dustbin of history. Other symbols of our heritage and national pride are destined to follow. By the time the "kings" of the EU are finished, the rights and laws governing Great Britain and her people, for which millions have died trying to protect, will be no more. - AE Pearce, Peterlee.

Spennymoor

MR Conlon (HAS, Nov 6) makes many excuses for not modernising Spennymoor shopping centre.

He appears to be out of touch with the public who want the main street shops reconnected and the outdated shops at Festival Walk demolished, to make way for modernisation and facilities to attract retailers and shoppers back to Spennymoor.

Spennymoor has lost more than 1,100 jobs in the last three years and we need to attract new industrial investment into the town. The unsightly condition of the shopping centre spoils an otherwise attractive town and must deter potential retailers.

Our proposals for the demolition of the Festival Walk shops could be part of a regeneration package. The cost and the time scale would be determined by the officers at Sedgefield Borough Council and subject to approval.

Only the Liberal Democrats voted against the water fountain which cost Sedgefield Borough Council £17,388. We say that this money should have gone towards upgrading the High Street Shop fronts.

There is strong public support for the Liberal Democrats' proposals, the public will notice that other towns in Sedgefield Borough have received large investments for modernising their shops, Spennymoor now needs extra regeneration funding. - Ben Ord, Chairman, Spennymoor Liberal Democrats