From St John to the Highway Code - your views

As Mayor of Keighley, I was appalled at the news of the desecration of the Keighley St John Ambulance headquarters by the Ossett management.

Even though there is diversity amongst Keighley Town Council members, the news of what is happening to our local branch of the St John Ambulance group, financially supported by local people, galvanized solidarity within the Council Chambers at the last full Council meeting.

It is appalling that vehicles operated and maintained by Keighley members has been seconded for use by head quarterstaff, without consultation with local members.

It is rubbish that no financial balance sheet has been produced to local members justifying selling off a sound building. If it is in need of repair, then quantify the cost and leave it to local people to raise any money needed as it is obvious that management at Headquarters have not the will, or skills to justify building up the Keighley Branch to even higher standards than it has already achieved No doubt, many local and National members would wish to know why it is that Keighley Branch, a branch that does not cost its headquarters anything in financial terms, as it is self-sustaining should be forced out of being an asset, not a liability that it is being made out to be.

That it be brought down by the arbitrary dictate of people who think that travelling to Bradford or Skipton by children is a wonderful idea for training session's needs rethinking. I would suggest that a radical clearout of Ossett management and so facilitate an enlivened team to enhance the hard working Keighley Branch.

Keighley Town Council is prepared to work with the local branch so keeping alive a well-known Keighley institution that has enjoyed a fine reputation in the North of England. The St John Ambulance group is a fine and proud ambassador for Keighley.

To the Ossett Management, show us the profit and lost account of Keighley Branch, let the figures be examined by experts, who would I suggest would act as guardians of the truth in this matter, and not charge for saying so.

Let the highly paid managers, in Ossettleave Keighley well alone and cease this madness!

Cllr Brian Hudson Mayor of Keighley

Officer says town must have HQ

As an officer of the Order of St John and a retired member of the St John Ambulance Brigade (SJAB), I was very distressed to hear of the proposal to close the headquarters in Keighley.

If Mr Phillip Gee, the executive director of the St John Ambulance Brigade South and West Yorkshire, has been through the ranks as member and officer he should realise that there is nowhere in Keighley suitable near the town centre (as is Russell Street) that could be rented for £30 a week.

What about storing the equipment needed each week for training - bandages, blankets and stretchers; for first aid - bed, blankets, pillows, mattress and other nursing equipment - for nursing, cot, clothes, bath, doll and feeding equipment to learn childcare?

I have visited the Bradford headquarters, which is not in Bradford centre, so private transport is needed to go there. Skipton headquarters is also a distance from the bus station.

What would happen to the cadets? Responsible parents would not wish their children to travel to either Bradford or Skipton each week for training.

Youth work is very important. The people who train these people are all voluntary workers. I know of many cadets who have gone into nursing, many reaching senior positions, others have gone into jobs with a first aid qualification which is useful to all.

How can these young people gain their Grand Prior's Badge without equipment (this is an award after gaining 12 other certificates as well as keeping efficient in first aid and takes at lease three years to gain)?

I appreciate the fact that health and safety rules must apply but surely the council could take responsibility for this with money gained from the Leeds-Bradford Airport sale, or from some other source.

For more than 50 years I was an active member of the SJAB until my retirement, many of these spent at Keighley until my promotion to area staff and I can never remember receiving financial help from county as, in addition to their training, practice and duties for the public, money was raised by members or donated by local organisations or patrons from Keighley.

If the St John Ambulance is to continue to give help and flourish in Keighley, it must be allowed to have suitable headquarters.

Ivy Aspinall, Westview Way, Woodville Road, Keighley.

Plea to reconsider closure

I write with regard to the proposed closure of the St John Ambulance premises in Keighley.

As a child I learned basic first aid and home nursing as a cadet with St John Ambulance, then in premises in Spencer Street.

Such was the standard of training that I was well prepared to take up training for State Registration in Nursing, which I completed in 1957.

I feel sure my parents, could they have been able to afford the bus fares in the 1940s ,would not have allowed me to travel to Bradford or Skipton for training. How parents can be expected to allow their children to travel in these days into either Bradford or Skipton in the evenings seems incredible.

Our young people, and those not so young, who are prepared to train and serve the community with St John Ambulance are, surely, to be encouraged and supported with their own headquarters here in Keighley.

I fully understand that rising costs of maintenance creates problems but does not their service to the community warrant premises in the town.

On the question of alternative accommodation, how many churches could find the space to house all the necessary equipment to train these willing and often courageous volunteers.

I make a plea through your newspaper to the executive for St John Ambulance, South and West Yorkshire to reconsider.

Rev Brenda Sugden Exley Head, Keighley

Place for youngsters to be

I am very surprised that the Keighley St John Ambulance headquarters is to close.

My son was a cadet when it opened. I am on the parent committee. At that time the officers were Tom Mcrish, Mr and Mrs McManus.

The parents committee had coffee mornings to make money for uniforms. The cadets went camping in summer, my son thoroughly enjoyed it.

But the day I remember most was when we all went to York to the Knavesmire race course and Princess Margaret came to review them.

R Lapworth Airedale View, Cross Hills

Don't make me laugh

Your recent article about the possibility of the eastern relief road being built has immediately brought out the doom and gloom merchants.

Destroy Park Wood? Don't make me laugh! It won't even touch the wood. It would more than likely sit in the scrubland between the houses and the wood and be out of sight and sound in a cutting or tunnel.

This road is the only solution which would make any impact on the level of traffic in Keighley town centre and allow traffic calming and the creation of pedestrian areas in the town centre. This would make Keighley an attractive place and a destination for shopping and trade rather than a place to drive through.

Cllr Hawkesworth has often been against Keighley but how she thinks a new railway station at Manningham will solve traffic problems in Keighley is a bit of a mystery.

D M Petyt Oakworth

Birthday greetings from France

Happy birthday and long live Timothy Taylor! I think Timothy Taylor is one of the best "brands" in England.

My favourite one is the Landlord but I've tried them all and they are so tasty! Therefore, I am really looking forward to having a taste of this special Celebration Ale next summer. I am sure the five magic brewers will do a great job and find the perfect balance between all the ingredients. I wish I could be there right now but I'm French and I live in France!

I discovered Timothy Taylor's when I came over to Keighley to work at Oakbank School five years ago. I am deeply attached to Yorkshire! Cheers!

Mlle Claire BUTIN, Rue de la Résistance, Saint-Etienne, FRANCE

Highway Code help sought

As my eldest son approaches the age at which he can begin to focus his mind on absorbing the intricacies of the Highway Code, I have begun to become more than aware of one or two contradictions between theory and practise on Keighley's roads. Would your readers be able to advise me on what is good practise in the following situations I have noted recently. I could then pass these on to my son.

n Are hatched areas (such as the one outside the Livery Rooms) sliproads for taxis to drive over in order to speed themselves and their passengers to their destinations or can we all drive on them?

n Is it better to wait in the queue of traffic at the Netto roundabout while travelling towards Utley from Bradford, or should one try to push in from the Keighley Town Centre Lane? Both seem to be acceptable depending upon whether or not you have a 4X4.

n Does a national speed limit sign (such as the one at Utley) mean that you should be travelling at 60 mph as you draw level with it? Is it acceptable to get up a head of steam for the journey to Steeton?

n When leaving the BP garage at Hard Ings, is it better to indicate right and then try and pull across two lanes of traffic, or should you travel the 50 yards to the roundabout and then drive around it? The same applies to the Shell garage on the other side, of course.

n Do yellow lines become null and void when you have to go to a cash machine, deliver a takeaway or stop to chat with a friend? This is quite a tricky one as it raises the issue of when should you actually invest your time in thinking of other road users at all?

n How loud should your music be when travelling around Keighley Town Centre? Can it never be too loud and is there a connected rule about distortion?

n When is it acceptable to use your indicators to tell other road users where you might be going? If you are not quite sure, isn't it better to leave them guessing or indicate for the previous two exits?

n How long should one wait before using your horn to remind the person in front of you that the traffic lights have changed to green? One second or two? Surely, a gentle nudge from your vehicle would do enough to remind them that you have no time to waste.

I am sure that the answers to these questions will help my son enormously and on his behalf may I thank the drivers of Keighley who make every trip out an adventure.

Antony Silson Skipton Road, Utley