Letters to the Editor - October 16th

Oct 16 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

Station staff rudeness

ST HELENS Central Station is at last starting to improve its image, but it’s a great pity that the same cannot be said of the attitude of some of its staff.

I am a middle-aged lady who was travelling to Liverpool on the 11.18 train on Saturday morning when I observed the really off-hand manner in which one of the staff in the ticket office treated a very nice polite young man in front of me.

When it came to my turn, I asked him for a Saveaway and this was thrust unceremoniously towards me.

When I enquired whether he knew what the date was, so that I might validate it, he glared and growled: “I don’t know . . . how should I know?”

Apart from his rudeness, he could easily have ascertained this information from either his ticket machine or even asked his colleague who was in the office with him at the time. Even a polite apology for not knowing would have been acceptable.

Normally, I travel from Prescot station, where all the staff are unfailingly polite and helpful, and it is a pleasure to be served by them.

There is a visible tear-off calendar on display, which is kept up-to-date, and no matter how busy they may be they always enquire whether, if the Saveaway is for that day, could they rub the date off for you.

Shabby buildings can be forgiven or overlooked, but the bad impression made by surly staff leaves a very long-lasting memory.

Name and address supplied

No rations

WHAT are we doing to our soldiers nowadays? First, we don’t put in place appropriate levels of compensation for the unfortunate ones who are sent home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan injured.

Now we learn that they are not even being given proper food rations. And don’t get me started on the various claims that have been made over the past five years regarding protective kit and equipment.

I was astonished to read your front page on Friday, October 12, which revealed that some of our boys and girls out in Afghanistan had gone for up to 40 days with no fresh fruit, bread and milk.

How can this happen? Peter Kilfoyle is absolutely right to describe the situation as “deplorable”.

It is deplorable enough that the troops have been out there all this time, and that so many of them have failed to come home, but not to give them fair rations is inhumane.

J Williams, Wavertree

Less wrapping

I DON’T doubt that we need to cut down on the amount of rubbish we produce as a country, but I am becoming increasingly annoyed about how we are supposed to accomplish it.

The reason for the mountains of rubbish households produce is the vast amount of packaging that all products come in, from food to electrical items, to even newspapers.

Why not encourage supermarkets and manufacturers to wrap their goods in less cellophane, cardboard and plastic? If the customer had the added incentive of seeing prices lowered to reflect lower amounts of packaging, then everyone would be a winner.

Offering no rubbish-cutting alternative while limiting the amount of waste we put out will just see more pollution-producing trips to the tip or the sight of bin bags being fly-tipped round our city.

Sheena Maguire, Woolton

Labour rift

I HAVE known and supported Bob Wareing for over 20 years and have been a member of the Labour Party for 40 years.

I never had a problem getting hold of Bob or getting his help and support in local elections.

Due to the way in which Bob has been treated by the Labour Party in being de-selected and the actions of a number of members of the Liverpool Labour Group, I – along with a number of fellow members of West Derby Labour Party – have now left the Labour Party to support Bob and oppose New Labour's London candidate in West Derby.

I would take this opportunity also to let every one know that Bob is still the Member of Parliament for West Derby, and long may he be so. Best of Luck, Bob, when Brown gets the bottle to call the next election.

Ken Stewart, Former Labour city and county council member, Croxteth Park

JLA fast-track

I WAS most surprised to learn that passengers have failed to take up the fast-track security service at Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

After all, what is £2 if it means that your passage through the airport is swift and stress-free? We are talking about little more than the price of a magazine to save yourself time.

I know people will say that it is not the point and that we should all be able to get through the airport swiftly without spending any extra cash, but we have to face up to the fact that, at a time when we have to be so security aware, queues are inevitable.

To make things go faster requires more staff, which costs more money.

This £2 extra charge is preferable than an automatic levy on everyone’s ticket fares, as at least you see what you are paying for.

M Pierce, Warrington

Positive charge

REGARDING the fast track security charge at John Lennon Airport, unlike some of your readers I view the charge in a positive way.

It is optional and for me was a very useful way of reducing the stress of flying. For a small charge I sailed through security without the need to queue and was well worth it.

D Brown, via email

Wildcat card

WHY is it that, whenever there is industrial action, those workers in Liverpool always seem to have to take things those few steps further.

Yes, we know you have your right to strike, but when most of the other workforces around the country are negotiating and trying to get things working again, here in Liverpool our postal workers are playing the wildcat card. I am from Liverpool, but I work in Yorkshire, where my colleagues are enjoying ribbing me with comments like: “trust Scousers” and “they are just workshy”.

This sort of action does no good to the reputation of the city, and I think that people are really starting to lose any sympathy they might have had for these workers.

L Owens, via email

No answers

I CAN sympathise with George Powell (Letters, October 12) in his failure to get answers from the Merseyside Police Authority concerning sickness and early retirement in our Police Force.

I have similarly failed to get answers regarding the recent appointments to the MPA.

It seems the MPA operates like a private club when it comes to answering questions it doesn't like.

The so-called public forums (one of which I attended) are a waste of time.

Until the system is changed, we will not get the kind of police force the majority of our citizens want. In the meantime I, and I hope others, will continue trying.

BW Hale, Upton

More than Beatles

WITH reference to the item by Mr Davies, Aigburth, (Daily Post, October 12). I agree in that we must have something as well as The Beatles.

I have been trying for over a year to get backing for a venture to operate a visitor and exhibition centre dedicated to displaying, presenting and hosting memorabilia relating to pop music icons, performing artists and similar of the past and present.

I am not knocking the Beatles, but we must embrace all music and performance, and we have the ideal platform in 2008 to present our knowledge and appreciation of the worlds of pop and music and performing arts.

I have re-applied to the Capital of Culture company under Mr Redmond’s cultural clearance initiative and wait with fingers crossed.

George Gibbons, Bootle

Local talent

MR DAVIES (Letters, October 12) is quite wrong to say that Liverpool is devoid of contemporary musical talent.

In the last few months, my husband has seen some incredibly talented and original local bands playing at the growing number of live music venues in the city.

The scene is livelier than I've known it in 20 years. It’s absolutely electric.

Far from finding something else to be proud of, the city may well be heading toward a tipping point that will once again place it at the centre of the musical universe.

Dr J Allanson, via email

Culture mess

WHAT a mess. It says something when visitors to the city express surprise that it is due to be European Capital of Culture in a mere three months’ time.

I join with them in wondering what sort of year it is likely to be and whether it is likely to be a year of embarrassment, given the £20m hole in finance as well as the multitude of building sites.

Will The Strand ever be finished? Will the city centre ever look like a Capital of Culture city?

One can only hope.

Michael Kane, Wavertree

Ignore ban

SO MOST drivers are expected to ignore the ban on smoking at the wheel. This is arrogant in the extreme.

I am not a smoker and have little time for those people busy trying to pollute their own and everyone else’s lungs with many of the most toxic chemicals known to man.

This claim that more than half will continue to smoke at the wheel, even though it could lead to a prosecution, does not surprise me at all.

It just shows smokers up for the inconsiderate souls that they are.

P Moore, Wavertree