May 31, 2006

Even though the administrative boundaries were changed in 1974, the county boundaries were not and roadside signs should reflect this. Many present signs are misleading.

The sign between Piercebridge and Royal Oak is more than three miles inside the county on the administrative boundary. If the sign had stated "Durham County Council" it would be the correct description at the correct location, but it does not. It states "County Durham" and is therefore in the wrong location.

The second statement on the sign is also misleading. This states "Land of the Prince Bishops" and gives the impression of just entering that land when a traveller has already been passing through it for the previous three miles (in Darlington Borough).

Conversely, the sign on the A66 at the Cumbrian border is just as misleading in a different way. This land never was under the control of the Prince Bishops and a further ten miles is needed to reach it at Barnard Castle.

Maybe Durham County Council should look more seriously at this issue instead of trying to distort history to suit itself. - Peter Singlehurst, Darlington.

AT the south end, County Durham starts where Yorkshire ends - this should not be beyond council officials to comprehend.

As a member of the Association of British Counties, I do not condone action that may walk a fine legal line, but I find the action of CountyWatch (Echo, May 27) of much interest.

Counties are the link with our ancestors, a timeless historical mosaic of Britain, forming communal identity and a sense of pride, culture and belonging.

Their true borders and identities are etched with famous rivers, landmarks and hilltops. Surely, we owe it to visitors that signs are placed at historic positions, and not at local government boundaries.

How simplistic of the county council to suggest an act of moving signs to correct positions is vandalism.

Can I suggest that spending council tax payers' money to place signs at incorrect positions, using misleading wording, and disgracefully attributing this "new" and much-contracted area with the "Land of the Prince Bishops", reduces the value of our historic county, and is, without doubt, another wilful act against our identity and culture.

The recent removal of the County Durham sign as you cross the Tees on the A1(M) northbound, to be erected near Newton Aycliffe, several miles from the boundary, is cultural vandalism carried out by faceless officials using our money. - Jim Tague, Bishop Auckland.

I WAS slightly amused to read about the people who moved the county road signs (Echo, May 27).

Hopefully, they will embark on Durham Tees Valley airport and replace the new signs with the old name of Teesside Airport, as most of the inhabitants of the Tees Valley towns of Darlington, Stockton and Middlesbrough dislike its new name as we have no ties with faraway Durham.

I am just wondering when Newcastle Airport will become known as North Sedgefield International, and Hartlepool Marina as Trimdon Wharf? - Christopher Wardell, Darlington.

IF Durham County Council is obliged to erect signs at its administrative boundaries there is probably little that can be done about it, although I think that it shows a regrettable lack of historical knowledge about a once-great county in which I felt privileged to be born. But the "Land of the Prince Bishops" begins at the Tees, not in a field between Stockton and Sedgefield. - Peter W Elliott, Eaglescliffe.

VILLAGE DEFENCE

AFTER reading recent letters (HAS, May 8 and 13) about West Cornforth being a village in decline I must reply.

I have lived in West Cornforth all my life and I cannot understand how people who do not live in this village can make such derogatory remarks.

This village is no different to any other, including Brandon and Coxhoe. Pubs and shops closing is not a village in decline, just a shift in shopping trends.

One broken seat in the most expensive part of the village does not mean that no-one in our village cares. A lot of positive work is happening in our village and negative comments from outside the area need to cease before it is believed. - PA Bowman, West Cornforth.

REGIONAL ENMITY

REGARDING your report (Echo, May 23) of a sailor headbutting a Scotsman in Catterick, and also, a while ago, a Scottish pub landlord banning a customer for calling him Jock.

As a two-year National Serviceman (1953-55), like thousands of others, we comprised Geordies, Jocks, Brummies, Scousers, Cockneys, Taffies, Paddies, etc. No animosity was taken from these names.

Thirty per cent of the soldiers I was billeted and working with were Scotsmen and we all got on so well. It grieves me to read in the last few years of confrontations between Englishmen and Scotsmen. National Service should never have ceased. - Ken Bowes, Shildon.

NUCLEAR ENERGY

COUNCILLOR Ben Ord's comments (HAS, May 25) are typical of those who oppose nuclear power as a method of generating our electrical energy.

They never come up with a viable, reliable and sustainable alternative.

It would appear their knowledge and understanding of electricity does not extend much beyond the switch on the wall.

We are facing a serious situation and need to take positive, if not drastic, steps to avoid it.

So the risks of using nuclear power are worth taking if we wish to ensure that we do not end up living in a country with insufficient electric power - try and imagine that. - J Routledge, Durham.

PENSIONS

I WOULD like to express my total agreement with AL Carter's letter about MPs' pensions (HAS, May 29) and would like to pose an analogy between this subject and George Orwell's Animal Farm.

I can see a familiar theme running through this matter whereby the few porcine live very well off the toil of the other farm animals, with a seeming degree of contempt and lack of integrity regarding their charges.

Oh for the days when we had statesmen who stood by what they did and said and would be held accountable for their actions. Honour in public life, it seems to me, is sadly lacking. - M Hawkins, Langley Park, Co Durham.

HUGH PENDER

I WAS fascinated to read Hugh Pender's life story (HAS, May 29). I'm sure it would make a cracking film that could rank alongside such epics as Doctor Zhivago and Ben Hur.

On a more serious note, could I take this opportunity to apologise to Mr Pender.

Redpen Hugh was not intended as any reference to Mr Pender's political beliefs, but was indicative of a teacher's marking when reprimanding a scholar. - Kev McStravick, Darlington.