Radical solutions needed for our greener future
John Kettley, English weather forecaster, 68; Mark Lester, English actor and star of Oliver!, 62; Caroline Quentin, British actress (pictured), 60; Pauline McLynn, Irish actress and Father Ted star, 58; Craig Charles, English actor and DJ (pictured), 56
ONE can only concur with recent letters, especially, from a cyclist, Andy Whitworth (June 25), that the Kirklees Council plan for cyclists is ill-conceived and backward.
Council members get excited about being seen to do something ‘green’ even if it is of little use and little more than a ‘greenwash.’
Proposing a cycling track inside the town when the proposed transport developments into it are going, by the council’s own admission, to increase traffic flow and, in consequence, carbon emissions, is to put it mildly, crazy.
There should be dedicated cycle lanes leading into the town.
One is struck by the paucity of ideas from the council. The town has an unique layout which means it could all be pedestrianised.
Simply ban all cars inside the ring-road.
Have new free car parks on the edge and have a get on and get off tramway running horizontally and vertically through the town.
Build a tunnel with an escalator joining the bus and train stations and develop a Northern Quarter around Wood Street for culture and the arts.
Unfortunately, this unlikely to happen.
The Labour Party locally is deeply conservative.
What we get is a bit of green here, a few trees there, some art works to litter the place, cycle tracks which no one will use, a few streets banned to cars but then unbanned the following week.
They need to get in some radical architects and learn from what’s happening now in
Europe where urban planners are learning from the experience of lockdown and not simply tinkering.
Mind our language
RE Denis Kilcommons article July 7). I agree that if English words were simplified it definitely would be easier for school children to lern it (sorry, I meant learn it), but most of the people born in my era managed to get their heds (sorry I meant heads) around the correct spellings but I suppose this is how our language evolved and is continually evolving. But I say stick with the Bard’s English.
I have seen many words spelt wrongly in adverts for selling and requesting goods. Initially irritated, I now find them amusing but when they appear in the right context we all know what the advertisers meant: such as draws (drawers), diner plats (dinner plates) and goldfich bole (goldfish bowl).
Of course there are always texting mistakes like my own where I input Satan instead of my husband’s name Stan causing great hilarity amongst my children, grandchildren and friends.
I completely agree about Americanisations and spellings infiltrating the English language. Even though my computer is set for English (UK) it still won’t accept many of our English spellings, and wanted me to change Americanisations to Americanizations!
Wrongly pronounced words on television also irritate me, for example, drawring instead of drawing and many other words where an ‘r’ is pronounced in many words which end in ‘ing.’