Fond memories of city furniture store
RE: Remember When (Oct 12). I loved Waring and Gillow.
I worked at Barclays Bank in the high street when this furniture store was open and spent many of my lunch hours wandering around this special store.
I bought our beautiful three-piece suite from there, excellent quality. Very sad when it closed, like Owen Owen. A sign of the times I suppose. Susan Hoult Cannon Park
This obsession with coffee is ridiculous
WHAT’S this ridiculous obsession with coffee these days? Having to drink it on the move because the work day is so demanding and we’re all too indispensable to take a break. If it’s such an inconvenience to drive into town for the nearest coffee top-up, take advice from an old bloke – save money and buy yourself a flask! Chris Tobin Stoke
Better under public control
SINCE the deregulation of public services during Margaret Thatcher’s government period, the railways, taxis and councilcontrolled bus services have been put into private companies, putting profit before passengers. In Coventry, bus routes operated to a timetable and passengers knew if it was a 10-minute service there would be a bus within that 10 minutes. At that time, changes were taking place from two-man operated buses over to mono-operated buses, or a “one-man operated bus”. Back then all drivers had to take a ministry examination test to obtain the Passenger Service Vehicle (PSV) licence. Drivers were issued with a PSV badge with their registered number, which had to be displayed on the uniform tunic.
The holder of PSV licence had to have a medical every year after the age of 55. Once the driver reached the age of 60 they went on to the old man’s router. At the age of 65 years they had to take retirement. Now there seems to be no age limit in continuing to drive a bus.
The maximum driving hours, including rest break, is 14 hours then the driver must be away from driving for at least eight hours before being allowed to get behind the wheel. If a driver is working 10-hour or 12-hour shifts it takes its toll. It brings on tiredness and pressure by the stopping and starting and with traffic conditions.
I want to see public transport brought back into local control and bring back the ministry test, then take away the responsibility from the private companies to pass out drivers. All taxis not registered with Coventry City Council should be charged a surcharge to operate inside the city boundaries. This way it would help to reduce the pollution in the city and we would be the first city to introduce this charge. John Bevan Binley
How the Lib Dems sold their principles
VINCE Cable seems baffled as to why the Lib Dems aren’t doing better in the polls. Perhaps I can help to enlighten him so he can better understand his position.
Eight years ago they sold their principles in exchange for hefty pay-rises and chauffeur-driven cars with full expenses paid for when they entered into a coalition partnership with the Conservatives.
They voted to support David Cameron’s austerity agenda, promote the bedroom tax, and help plunge a knife into the NHS and welfare system. He would also go onto sell off Royal Mail at a knocked-off price and he has shown no remorse or failed to repent at any of his choices.
I would assume from his actions and his manner that given the opportunity to do so, Mr Cable would indeed do it all again if given the chance. Andy McDonald Tile Hill
Much more at stake than the economy
WHAT will it take to convince those who voted Remain that there is more at stake than the economy and jobs when it comes to Brexit?
Do they care about claims that billions of net contributors’ monies was stolen by the former Soviet leaders of Bulgaria?
Does it matter that grants allocated in respect of the northern land rights in Sicily allegedly fell into the hands of the Mafia?
How can they turn a blind eye to the highest court in the EU ruling that MEPs can keep their expenses secret and not so much as have to produce a shred of evidence that such expenses are genuine?
Finally, I beg them to research the recent promotion of Martin Selmayr to Secretary General. The EU Ombudsman lambasted the EU Commission but was powerless to act. Selmayr is now the one with all the power and this ardent federalist is a real danger to democracy.
It is no use Remainers saying we should stay and reform the EU from within. It is beyond reform and if I had my way it would be an illegal organisation within the United Kingdom. Richard Allen Whoberley