24/08/05

First, why is the air ambulance service in England funded by charity when the equivalent air ambulance service in Scotland is funded with public money by the Scottish Executive?

North of the border air ambulances are part of the Scottish Ambulance Service and when required, they are dispatched from their bases throughout Scotland by a central control room in Dundee.

Second, any potential casualty must be alarmed by the suggestion that fund raising takes priority over operational decisions; an incident in Yorkshire will be attended by the air ambulance based at Leeds - why?

If we look at the map it would make more sense if the two organisations drew circles around their respective bases to determine which aircraft is the closest to any location.

However, the long term aim must be a comprehensive air ambulance service covering the whole of the UK, funded, as in Scotland, by the Government. - James A Cowan, Durham.

ATOM BOMBS

IT IS surprising 60 years on how many versions there are as to why the atom bombs were dropped.

Being in the Army in India at the time and having completed our training, we were more than happy to go along with the idea that it would shorten the war rather than go along with a conventional one which would claim many more thousands of lives.

One wondered if more time been given after dropping the first, the second one might have been avoided. On the night of March 9, 1945, 338 B29 Super Fortresses dropped 2,000 incendiaries on Tokyo, 15 square miles were burnt out, and 100,000 people perished.

One would have thought such devastation caused by conventional weaponry would have been enough to have achieved a surrender and avoided the horrifying aftermath caused by radiation.

But the fanaticism of the Japanese soldiers, who were close to death before a dishonourable surrender, seemed to provoke the using of the atom bomb. No doubt over the years the plight of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has acted as a strong deterrent against the use of atomic weapons.

Sadly for them it was an awful price to pay. - Douglas Punchard, Kirkbymoorside.

BIG BROTHER

WELL done the youth workers who have criticised the idea of making the Big Brother winner Anthony Hutton an ambassador for the youth of Derwentside. (Echo, Aug 18).

From what I have read about his antics (I never watched it) I would not like to think he was looked up to by my three grandchildren.

Fair enough. He has achieved the notoriety he obviously craves.

As to the remarks by Mr Watson that it has no bearing on real life, who are you trying to convince apart from yourself?

A bad choice, I say. - Name and address supplied.

BUS SERVICE

I WOULD like to respond to inaccurate comments made by G Thubron relating to Arriva bus services in Newton Aycliffe. (HAS, Aug 22).

Mr Thubron has been misinformed, the 723 service does not receive any financial subsidy and is run as a commercial service.

This means that resources are directed to areas where more people wish to use the service - which is why it now operates via Woodham, and not via the less well populated area of Central Avenue.

Central Avenue continues to be served by the 213 (Darlington to Sunderland). Customers wishing to travel to Durham can still do so on the 723 which can be picked up in Newton Aycliffe town centre.

We have received quite a lot of feedback thanking us for offering more frequent and faster links from Woodham to Ferryhill and Durham.

However, we recognise that as with any change, some people will feel it is not of benefit to them.

Any customers who would like to comment about any of our services, or who would like help journey planning, can contact Arriva direct on 08701 20 10 88. Timetable and map information is also available from the website www.arriva.co.uk. I hope this clarifies matters for your readers - Liz Esnouf, Commercial Director, Arriva North East.

ROAD REPAIRS

COUNCILLOR Wallis put up a stalwart defence of his policies and his decisions in respect of the condition of Darlington's roads. (HAS, Aug 15).

Without the spin, of course, his defence is not credible and extremely concerning.

He says Darlington "now has some of the best roads in Britain". Very good, but that's not the issue. It is the worst roads which exist in Darlington which are the problem.

For instance, over a year ago, a petition signed by more than 100 residents of Salutation Road was sent to the council. Nothing was done and the road continues to deteriorate to an unacceptable level. Was this one of the roads assessed to rigorous Government standards? I doubt it.

Coun Wallis goes on to say how much extra money he will invest on the roads: £2.5m this year.

This is not extra money, this is money already budgeted to spend over the next five years. All he has done is bring the whole lot forward and claim some sort of generosity on his part.

He manages this by borrowing today and paying back over five or ten years and, of course, there will be no money available for similar works for four years ahead, as he will have already spent it. - Councillor Charles Johnson, Darlington Borough Council.

NOT FAIR

IN June, to earn money for my final year at university, I attempted to find employment and to work as many hours as possible.

Two months on and I have not been able to find anything. No employer will provide work for temporary staff, and the Job Centre had nothing at all.

Agency work is not ideal for me because I can't afford a car. I nevertheless tried, but to no avail. I will receive the full loan available due to my parents' low income.

However, minus my accommodation fees, I will have just £4.30 a day left to pay for food, textbooks, clothes, transport, and everything else. As an extra kick in the teeth, I have to pay every penny of that back when I finally do find a job.

If I was on Jobseekers Allowance I could get £44.50 a week, which is £6.35 per day. That is money I would not have to pay back.

I don't think it's fair that as well as already being thousands in debt, I am facing extreme financial hardship next year just because I chose to go to university, as the Government is so keen for people to do. - Toby Bull, Darlington.

SUPERBIKES

I AGREE with Graeme Hopkirk (HAS, Aug 5) about the appalling coverage of motor cycle racing.

It is not a minority sport. At Brands Hatch world superbike racing on August 7, 125,000 people attended, and there was no mention in The Northern Echo of this event, even though local rider Dennis Hobbs, from Guisborough, scored points in both races. - Roland Priestley, Middlesbrough.