LETTERS to the EDITOR

Broken rail promises to the North are typical of this fickle Government

SIR – With all the leaks it was known that the Leeds HS2 leg was to be scrapped, but I remained hopeful until the last moment that the new proposals were not true.

We need this new line in the North. Enhancing what we already have does not address capacity problems and leaves Bradford out in the wilderness – again. How do you enhance a railway that is live and subject to routine maintenance? Network Rail is already maximising its night-time access.

I have commuted from the South East to London, and now do the same in the North. It is not a level playing field, and the Government is falling well short on its pledge to level up.

I am so fed up with this Government making promises then pulling the rug out at the last minute, with the voting population left with no recourse to counter such devastating decisions. Wendy Garnett York

SIR – Those expressing anger about the cancellation of the Leeds HS2 route should be grateful that they will not face the disruption experienced during the past decade by those living with the development of the southern route.

At long last common sense has been applied to correcting transport problems. The people complaining will live long enough to reap benefits from planning changes – and not have to watch money pouring into a bottomless pit.

Lesley Boardman

Rustington, West Sussex

SIR – The delivery times for the new rail plan to replace the HS2 link to Leeds look like wishful thinking, given the reality of railway maintenance in recent years.

The truth is that HS2 costs and delivery schedules are out of control, while its engineer promoters line their pockets, and ravage the countryside and some residential areas. The Government’s panicked response is the half measure of allowing the existing plan to Manchester to proceed without any serious control of the ruinous extravagance that has been exhibited to date, plus callous disrespect for urban graveyards and precious countryside.

The high-speed line to Leeds and the trans-pennine route are now to be replaced by an eternal regime of rail-replacement bus services, as Network Rail sub-contractors wallow like hogs in the resulting series of smaller gravy-train projects. The time scales quoted by ministers are probably unrealistic, as they are based on maintenance prior to Covid.

Before any further contracts related to HS2 or this fantasy alternative are implemented, a thorough investigation should be carried out into both the pre-covid and current rail projects, and maintenance costs and schedule overruns. The time spent could be extremely worthwhile. The late delivery of Crossrail is a warning that this new plan is far riskier than is currently claimed.

Brian Newton

Epsom, Surrey

SIR – It is not surprising that the Leeds link of HS2 was scrapped. The East has always suffered an appalling lack of infrastructure investment compared to the West.

Examples are the M11 stopping at Cambridge instead of going on to the Humber Bridge, and the A1 being an utter mess in many places rather than a motorway to Edinburgh, as has existed to Glasgow for decades. Major roads such as the A64, the main road from the M1 to Scarborough, and the A47, the main route to Norwich from the Midlands, should cause great embarrassment at Highways England.

The East is poorly served, and now this inequality has been compounded. Bob Gardiner

Malton, North Yorkshire

SIR – North, North, North. What about the South West? Nik Perfitt Bristol

The cost of lockdown

SIR – Allister Heath is right that “cheap and easy money is destroying conservatism and liberalism” (Comment, November 18), as is your Leading Article (November 18) about the dire consequences of lockdowns, implemented because of an obsession with one disease.

It is the Bank of England’s collaboration with the Government to supply unlimited money at ridiculously low interest rates that has allowed the latter to get away with taking on draconian powers over individuals, and closing down the private sector during the pandemic. Without the means to shower money on the compliant there would have been an uprising.

The Bank’s policy will prove disastrous by unleashing uncontrolled inflation, but also by providing fuel for government policies that have already been catastrophic.

Tim Coles

Carlton, Bedfordshire

SIR – David Walters (Letters, November 19) asks why people want to introduce vaccine passports. The answer is in his letter: passports and other restrictions are intended to put pressure on those reluctant to get vaccinated.

It would seem that the people of Gibraltar don’t need to be coerced to do the right thing, and are reaping the benefits of virtually full vaccine take-up. It’s just a pity that the same is not true here.

Chris Wood

Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

World of warning

SIR – Nicholas Young’s letter (November 17) on changing attitudes in entertainment struck a chord.

A few years ago, before watching a film on television, I was warned: “The following film contains offensive language and scenes that some viewers may find distressing.”

It was Follow a Star, featuring Norman Wisdom, which my mother took me to when I was nine.

Peter Hamilton

London SE3

Responsive MP

SIR – In response to Alan Belk (Letters, November 18), whose MP did not reply to his queries, I have to say that my MP, Tobias Ellwood, who represents Bournemouth East, has responded several times to my emails, not all of which have been of vital importance.

Despite his work as a minister, and later having to perform other equally onerous duties, I am impressed with his ability to take time to respond to one small member of his electorate, especially as on one occasion that member did not actually vote Conservative.

Malcolm Freeth

Bournemouth, Hampshire

SIR – Since we are moving towards a fully professional Parliament and, by inference, county and district councils, should not attention be paid to training and a qualification for all prospective candidates for representational office? Chris Cadman

Flamstead, Hertforshire

SIR – In John le Carré’s The Deadly

Affair, George Smiley’s tutor recommends that he apply for a job with the Secret Service with the words: “They pay badly enough to guarantee you decent company.”

I’ve often thought there might just be something in this.

John Gale

Ozenay, Saône-et-loire, France

Asylum ambiguity

SIR – When I joined the Immigration Service in 1975, the word asylum was used to describe those seeking political asylum. Subsequently, due to situations such as the mass exodus of Ugandan Asians, who were expelled by Idi Amin, there was a clear understanding of the displacement of refugees. However, the word has come to cover a multitude of situations, many of which are (understandably) economic rather than involving a fear of persecution, thus diluting the very real claims of genuine refugees.

It is natural to think the best of our fellow humans, but people can and do lie, often to suit their own particular circumstances. Regrettably, it is naive to think otherwise. That the asylum system is broken is a fact, in particular the ability to have repeated bites at the cherry by putting forward a different claim as soon as the previous one is rejected. Claims including conversion to a different faith, to be from a country to which returns are problematic, and of a recent change in sexuality are now common. Elizabeth Edmunds

Hassocks, West Sussex

Crisis in Ethiopia

SIR – For the past 14 years I have been farming in southern Ethiopia and have experienced events leading to the devastating conflict unfolding here (“Once the great hope of Africa, Ethiopia is descending into chaos before our eyes”, report, November 16).

When, in November 2020, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) slaughtered its own comrades, and seized most of the Ethiopian army’s heavy weapons, it showed contempt for democracy and the rule of law, and was correctly labelled a terrorist organisation.

When Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister, declared a ceasefire this June, the TPLF used the opportunity to attack Amhara and Afar, proving that its ambition lies far beyond independence for Tigray.

The Abiy Ahmed who won the Nobel Peace Prize was committed to democracy and peaceful solutions. He still is, but to cave in to the TPLF would be no way to build democracy.

Britain and other Western governments have been poor friends to Ethiopia in its time of need. The money that Britain has invested in aid will be of little value unless the government defeats the TPLF and restores the rule of law, democracy and economic growth.

While it was once good for Ethiopia, the TPLF was in power too long and took too much. It is now very unpopular throughout the country, and should it succeed the disintegration and widening conflict could well be on the scale of Syria or Yugoslavia. Then we will see the humanitarian catastrophe.

Ivan Holmes

Bale Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Vive la DVLA

SIR – Roy Butler (Letters, November 18) is pleased that the French authorities have issued him, at the age of 70, with a licence valid for 15 years.

In 2019 road deaths in France were reported to be 3,244, whereas the comparable figure for Britain was 1,752. This is despite total populations being similar and the traffic density in France being far lower.

Perhaps the French approach to maintaining driving standards, while more administratively convenient than that of the DVLA, is not one that we should follow.

Christopher Timbrell

Kington Langley, Wiltshire

SIR – Last week I received a vehicle tax reminder for a Fiat tractor. This was slightly surprising because we had traded it in 13 years ago at a local agricultural machinery dealership.

Until now we had heard nothing more about her. I have no idea of the old girl’s whereabouts, or even if she still exists. It seems that neither does the DVLA.

Graham More

Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire