INDUSTRIAL LEGACY

WE SHOULD all applaud and join in the euphoria at the massive Lottery investment in the new National Railway Museum at Shildon which will have a spin-off for the whole of the borough as well as the county.

However, in most of the celebrations for the museum and its legacy and relics of the railway industry, can I ask that a thought be spared for the legacy and relics of that other great industry which energised steam locomotion during the 19th and early 20th centuries?

It also left a legacy and relics of disease and disabilities together with morose terraced mining settlements which scar the towns and villages wherever they exist and which must be tackled by local authorities sooner rather than later.

We must be grateful to the county council for eliminating, reducing or levelling those monuments of miners. But discarding the pit heaps has, in many cases, resulted in the remaining scars becoming more visible.

The near demise of the mining industry and the legacy it will leave is for condemnation rather than celebration; to forget rather than commemorate. A suitable valediction would be: "You took all and left nothing." - TH Conley, Ferryhill.

SPEEDING

IF the police are adopting a 'zero tolerance' approach to speeding, changes need to be made to the current legislation.

Penalties should no longer be known as fines but as taxes as this is what they will become. Not even the most conscientious driver can guarantee not to exceed the limit by 1mph as it will be necessary to tear ones eyes away from the speedometer occasionally to look at the road.

On an average tyre, the circumference reduces by about three per cent between the time it is fitted and it being worn to the legal limit. This results in a speedo reading difference of about 1mph at 30mph. Bingo! You're nicked.

I do not condone speeding at any time but I do feel that common sense should be applied. At the very least there should be a window of say ten per cent where a financial penalty only is imposed. The additional burden of points on one's licence should be applied only to offences above this figure.

Perhaps some of the proceeds of the new tax could be used to buy an alarm clock for Jack Straw to help keep him awake so that he can prevent his driver from enjoying a 33mph over the limit tax freebie. - RW Elleanor, Ferryhill.

POLITICAL REPORTING

THE critics should have been banished in May 1997 when this Government took office. No doubt The Northern Echo's friends, the Tories, have been supportive of it after they suffered such a crashing defeat at the General Election.

It is strange that we did not read of these parasites during the 18 years in which they ruined the health service, the mining industry, railways, fire brigades, police and other local government departments.

Did I hear somebody at the paper say: "We are non political." Rubbish! You are as blue as the Mediterranean and it is time the decent people in the North-East put your rubbish out of circulation.

"Another 50 allege harm by surgeon" (Echo, Aug 2). When? Between 1985 and 1995 in the reign of your colleagues. Therefore, if there is to be any judgement in the Neale case, let it not be against the NHS but against the Conservative Party.

Hear All Sides? Which side? Your side or the Tory side because they both appear to be the same. - GS Atkinson, Northallerton.

RECENTLY, in some newspapers great prominence has been given to a Tory comeback in the polls. Tucked away in a little side column in the Echo (July 28) was the result of the latest poll showing Labour with a lead of 16 per cent.

If this is evidence of a Tory comeback, heaven help them when this excellent Government increases its poll rating as the election approaches. - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

SECTION 28

WHEN I read about Gay Fury on the Block (Echo, July 28) which will stop homosexuality being taught in the schools, I can only stand up and shout: "Thank the Lord." I have been a Labour voter for many years. No more. I am ashamed to be associated with this Labour group. It is time parents were given the rights not the Government. - M Martin, Coundon.

LITTLE CHEF

HAVING once paid over £4 for two cups of tea and a toasted teacake at a Little Chef it was gratifying to read Mike Amos's comments (Eating Owt, Aug 1) on this organisation. - Peter W Elliott, Stockton.

Crook THANKS

MAY I on behalf of all the children from Kiev in the Ukraine who came to Crook for three weeks to build up their immune systems with fresh air and good food, away from the contamination from the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, sincerely thank all the kind people in this area for their overwhelming love and generosity and care they showed to those sick children. Thanks too to Veronica and Malcolm, the organisers. - Mary Armstrong, Crook.

SECTION 28

C WARDELL of Darlington (HAS, Aug 3) finds "every aspect of homosexuality disgusting" and urges Tony Blair and his "cabinet of gay enthusiasts" to resign, as their policies make him "vomit".

The people who make me sick, Mr Wardell, are intolerant, holier-than-thou bigots like you.

You fear that, if Section 28 were abolished, your schoolboy son would be brainwashed into becoming gay, something as likely as his being persuaded to become epileptic, or red-haired.

You son will be gay only if the cocktail of genes he inherited from you and his mother makes him so. Your mindless homophobia almost tempts me to wish that on you. - Name and address supplied.

LAUREN BACALL

I WAS interested to read Olivia Convey's article on Lauren Bacall (Echo, Aug 3).

Miss Bacall has had a long and successful showbusiness career. Apart from her acting ability she is also known for her wit. I rather like the story I heard about her some years ago on the radio programme Desert Island Discs. Recalling the old days, presenter Roy Plomley said: "You were under contract to Warner Brothers in Hollywood and there you met the great Jack Warner. Did you find him difficult to work with?"

Lauren Bacall replied: " I found him very difficult and not great." Quite a lady. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.

SPEED LIMITS

THE correspondent's views on speeding (HAS, Aug 3) and the use of children to report speeding motorists, is ignoring what seems to be an irresponsible teacher.

To suggest that teachers have a moral duty to spy on the population smells of Big Brother and the suggestion of Nazi Germany.

There is a case for looking at the speed limit, especially near housing estates where even 30mph is inappropriate, which would suggest that those in authority should be consulting the residents and not schoolchildren on such issues. But to suggest using children and others to shop their fellow neighbours is more in line with despotism. - John Young, Cook.

CHCs

I WOULD like the Government to think again before doing away with the community health councils.

I think it may be because they are doing an excellent job by bringing to attention the number of serious mistakes made by some working in the NHS. If this service had not been doing an excellent job the Government would have kept it.

The Millennium Dome has been sold to the Japanese for £105m, at a loss of £653m, so the money can be found. I am sure that the people of this country would rather have seen this money go to the NHS.

I would like to point out that it is very hard to take the General Medical Council on. Last week a consultant was found guilty of 34 out of 35 charges against him and it was said the GMC was considering stopping him from doing any more operations.

So, without the help of the community health councils, people will find it extremely hard to make a case. I would also like to point out that in the long run the community health councils would save the NHS a lot of money by stopping the people who are not doing their job properly from working in the NHS. - G Hall, Crook