Letters to the Editor - September 10th

Sep 10 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

Prosecute serious crime

I COMPLETELY agree that Merseyrail’s stance concerning feet on seats is "draconian".

Surely prosecution is totally over the top for putting feet on seats?

Fair enough, it might be somewhat inconsiderate, but that’s all it is, so surely a verbal warning (or a fixed penalty if they refuse to comply) should suffice?

Prosecution should be for serious offences such as rape, murder, theft or vandalism – putting feet on seats does not cause nearly as much harm as these things, so it should not be punished by means worthy of these offences.

If someone is persistently refusing to take their feet off after being warned, that’s different, but if they’re the sort of person who will take their feet off if asked it’s totally unfair to come down on them like a tonne of bricks.

Supportive as I am of the smoking ban and much though I despise the habit, I also agree with the softy-softly approach that seems to have been adopted with regards to enforcing it.

If someone puts their cigarette out after being asked then no further action is taken; they are only issued with a fixed penalty if they refuse to extinguish it.

Why can’t the same approach be adopted with feet on seats, which is surely even less inconsiderate than smoking in a public place?

I always found it illogical that the fixed penalty for putting feet on seats was £100, yet the one for smoking on board a train was only £50 – surely the latter is more serious?

The powers that be just can’t seem to get it right – either they go totally over the top with punishments for minor offences like this, or they let people get away with a wrist-slap for much more serious crimes.

As the Daily Post says, which do you think is the higher priority, prosecuting people who put their feet on seats or hunting out Rhys Jones’s killers?

The former is a complete waste of time and resources, which would be better spent on the latter.

Philip Ion, Greasby

Set an example

AS AN OAP of 88 years, I often used to travel on Merseyrail, sometimes wishing I could put my feet up after a long day, but I didn’t and knew it was wrong to do so, and didn’t need a "notice" to tell me so.

There are enough notices on the train warning of £100 fine. I presume Miss Jennings, who expects to teach, can read but probably thought it didn’t apply to her. What kind of an example is that to children she expects to teach?

Two wrongs don’t make a right – Miss Jennings for ignoring the sign and the magistrate for not upholding the by-law.

When travelling on Merseyrail, the people who use the opposite seat as a footrest are young, never the elderly who are probably more in need of a footrest.

To the majority of young people, I feel that we "oldies" shouldn’t exist regardless of any "work" we have done in the community in our earlier days.

M Medwell, Rainhill

Labour’s legacy

WITH an October election now a serious possibility, the time has come for the electorate of Merseyside to take a long hard look at the damage Gordon Brown and 10 years of New Labour rule has brought to Great Britain.

From the very outset of the New Labour project, the ideology of "high taxation and high public spending" which destroyed our nation in the mid to late seventies, remains to this day. We may not have seen high increases in income tax, instead, we have been subject to over 100 stealth tax increases.

Gordon Brown has clobbered middle England at every conceivable opportunity, while at the same time creating an underclass living off the taxes of hard-working individuals.

Destruction of the long-term stability of pension provisions, after inheriting one of the most envied in the world, is the worst aspect of his decade as Chancellor.

This government has made the British public ashamed to stand up for its beliefs, traditions and, more crucially, "its way of life"; instead, they prefer to pander to every minority group, bowing to political correctness at every opportunity.

A nation riddled with crime, illegal immigration, social breakdown, marriage breakdown, debt and ashamed of its own identity – that is the legacy of a decade of New Labour rule.

Cllr Martyn Barber, Conservative, Crosby

Social conscience

PEOPLE keep saying that Liverpool is different to everywhere else because when something bad happens here we make a song and dance about it.

Well, maybe we do, but this is surely better than pretending that nothing has happened.

We are not afraid in the this city to make a fuss when children are killed, despite the effect this may have on the reputation of the place in which we live.

Liverpudlians put good causes ahead of house prices or pride, and we should be glad that we do.

The deaths of Rhys Jones and Anthony Walker were devastating, not least because they should have been entirely avoidable.

If we forget that they have happened, then similar atrocities could take place again. Instead, the entire city mourns the loss of these boys with their grieving parents and families.

A social conscience is vital to communities and this is something that we all have in this city.

P Mather, via e-mail

Jobs saved

SINCE you published my further letter on this subject praising Angela Eagle’s current efforts (Daily Post, September 4) I have had my leg pulled by political colleagues suggesting that I have become an admirer of the Wallasey MP and am contemplating jumping ship to the Labour Party. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I am no apologist for Angela Eagle and merely sought as an independent to give credit when due.

I would, however, remind your readers that when I originally "blew the whistle" on the Burton management job loss plans some 15 months ago. I was the subject of much abuse in letters and articles by a works manager, erstwhile Tory colleagues and particularly the Wallasey MP herself, all of whom vociferously refuted any prospect of job losses.

I am more than happy and feel vindicated by the current plan to save many of those jobs.

David Kirwan, Hoylake councillor

No signs to Hall

I WONDER how many readers will know where the Grand Hall is situated at the Albert Dock (at present housing the 800 photographs mentioned recently in the Daily Post).

Having been given rather vague directions by a guide on Tuesday last, we walked rather aimlessly about with no Grand Hall in view. We finally discovered the photographs were housed in an empty store within the well-known area (to us at least) of the dock itself.

The photographs were quite stunning, certainly worth a visit, but it is essential that clear signs are erected, especially for visitors who have no knowledge of the area.

E May, L12

Shack fan

I HAVE been a big fan of legendary Liverpool band Shack since they recorded their 2003 album, Here’s Tom, here in Bethesda, where I was lucky enough to meet them.

Anyway, I just wanted to say good luck with the new "Best of" album released on Noel Gallagher’s label in the next few weeks.

It’s just a pity their nearest live gig is Liverpool Carling Academy in October.

Mick and John Head are among Britain’s best songwriters, along with James Skelly of The Coral, who incidentally also recorded here in Bethesda, North-west Wales, at the Bryn Derwen Studios in the town.

Bryan Jones, Bethesda

Lime Street revamp

I HAVE enjoyed your pieces this week about the changes to Lime Street, and cannot wait to start seeing the transformation.

Lime Street is the gateway to Liverpool, yet is full of so many eyesores.

The front of the station itself is terribly poor and shabby looking when it should be a gleaming place to welcome people to the city.

The horrible tower just to the side – I believe it is called Concourse House – cannot go soon enough, and I look forward to seeing it come crumbling down.

I was not so sure about the proposed tower which was abandoned this week, but the rest of the plans are the best thing to have happened for this area in years.

Hopefully they will act as a spark for the rest of the Lime Street area to be similarly revamped.

L Kershaw, Aintree

A poor diet

IN REPLY to the letter, "Food fight" on Wednesday, September 5, it is not only schoolchildren eating as soon as they come out of school, you can see children being pushed in prams from the age of 18- months eating sausage rolls morning, noon and teatime.

It starts as soon as the child is off its meal of milk.

It is only the parents that are to blame. It is pure laziness.

V Spencer (Mrs), Kensington

Liverpool’s view

I TOO was delighted to see Liverpool so well reviewed by Jamie Redknapp, for the programme Britain’s Favourite View, but was sorry our two great cathedrals, which are so much part of our city, were not shown.

Joan Molyneux, Wirral

Family’s dignity

THE dignity shown by Rhys Jones’s family over the past fortnight, and particularly throughout last week’s funeral, has been breathtaking.

It must have been torture to have to grieve before the nation the way they have, but there have been no hysterical outbursts from Melanie and Stephen Jones, only praise for their son and the hope that justice will be done.

I Wallace, Allerton