Published at 11:11, Thursday, 24 November 2011

SIR, – Chris Davies, “If you can’t beat them join them,” (Letters November 10), appears unaware of how chaotic and dysfunctional the EU and Euro projects have become. If some or all of the Eurozone members wish to preserve the currency it will involve political and economic changes far beyond any levels previously considered or agreed by their voters. In its present form, the Eurozone, stemming from the Maastricht Treaty, is not fit for purpose.

What would Mr Davies have the British government and population sign up to? Continue the present failed system with bail-out contributions for Greece, Italy and others remembering that we are already a major net contributor to EU funds – £48 billion 1998 – 2010; a new treaty where fiscal and monetary policies were ceded to the European Central Bank and the Commission which would, within existing British government policy trigger a referendum; a so-called two speed Europe with an inner core of Eurozone countries pushing ever deeper into federalism? Other options are conceivable. Perhaps Mr Davies could explain and justify his preferred option rather than blindly talking up the EU like an act of faith.

His scaremongering about future world trade prospects is a nonsense. Assuming we produce the right quality goods and services Britain doesn’t need the shackles of EU membership to trade with anyone. The individual countries within the EU will continue to trade with Britain, as we will with them, because we all need markets an jobs. All the world’s biggest developing markets are outside Europe. The Liberal Democrats have an uncritical obsession with being at ‘the heart of Europe’ and supposedly having greater political influence. This ignores the present reality of voting procedures within the Council of Ministers, the Parliament and Commission as well as public opinion at home which would in general prefer “less” EU rather than “more”.

Mr Davies may, constitutionally, owe his political allegiance to the EU rather than NW England. He certainly isn’t representing me.

PS At the time of writing China isn’t rushing to save the Eurozone.

MR J H FISHER

Hensingham Road

Whitehaven

SIR – I found it interesting to read Elaine Woodburn’s comments in The Whitehaven News (November 10) regarding underground disposal of nuclear waste.

She suggests that “Nirex made a mess of it” when they were refused permission to bury medium level nuclear waste at an enquiry, where evidence for and against was put forward and a decision against disposal was made.

So if Nirex had tried a different approach, maybe something like the one she supports now, then in her opinion they wouldn’t have made a mess of it but would have been successful in their efforts to bury the waste.

Even if the geology is found to be unsuitable in the whole of Cumbria, Elaine believes that by throwing money into every organisation, building project and sports group in the area, they will be able to buy acceptance for their proposals. I think she’s probably right.

We may suffer increases in nuclear related diseases and lose a lot of tourists – but think of all that money.

J M WILLIAMSON

Hillcrest

Whitehaven

SIR – I would like to say a very big thank you to all who helped and supported the annual charity show in aid of Action for Children, held in Whitehaven Civic Hall on October 23.

Special thanks go to Chas Hodges and his bank and to Dougie, Mick and Alan, Memory Lane for their continued support again this year.

The total raised this year from the show and raffle is £1,665 for Action for Children in Cumbria.

Also, I would like to thank the business community for their donations again this year. These include; Nuclear Management Partners, Iggesund Paper Board, Dobies Charitable Trust, Two Castles Housing, S A Robotics Ltd, Indorama Polymers Ltd, Carr’s Flour Mills Ltd, Eastman Chemicals, Furness Building Society, Gregg’s Charity Foundation and Sellafield Contractors Group Charity Committee.

The money raised this year takes the total raised to over £51,000 in the last 23 years for Action for Children in Cumbria.

Harry HARTLEY

Action for Children supporter

Loop Road North

Whitehaven

steam trains

SIR – I would like to add further comment to Mr Steven Foster’s letter (Whitehaven News, October 13) regarding the Sellafield decision not to allow access to the steam charter locomotives for the purpose of turning the locomotives to enable safe and efficient operation.

My wife and I and our three children and their families have also been regular visitors to West Cumbria, staying at the Tarnside Caravan Park, Braystones. From 1971 to 1999, two or three times each year until the enforced break due to the Foot and Mouth outbreak. Our visits started again in 2003, and includes two visits this year.

Like Mr Foster, we are also train enthusiasts, being working members and standard gauge locomotive owners on the Foxfield Steam Railway. No, not your Foxfield, but the preserved railway at Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent. (It is not a place name, but derives from the fact that when the mine shafts were sunk in 1880, the best site was in the field where the foxes played as there were no villages etc close by).

During the second year of our visiting, we went to have a look at what was then I believe still the Windscale site, and the railway station. On the way past the site to the station we saw a steam loco working and immediately stopped to have a closer look. Three minutes later, two black Land Rovers appeared and we were surrounded by eight policemen, so the paranoia about security is nothing new.

In the early years of the steam charter trains, the whole train was allowed onto the site, now only the locomotive, driver and fireman are allowed. Even so they still have to show their passports in order to be allowed to carry out a 10 minute operation. I also therefore believe that they, Sellafield Ltd, are taking the easy way out by getting rid of something that may cause a problem, completely, and are not considering the fact that these visits have been taking place since 1987 without any recorded problems.

Do the DRS engine drivers when delivering the nuclear waste have the same problem?

Whilst on the topic of railways, when we first started our visiting, steam locos were still working on Whitehaven Docks and numerous trains each day, both passenger and freight, used the line past Braystones. Our caravan was overlooking the sea close to the station and many times we caught the train to Barrow or Carlisle, and on one occasion continued through to Leeds and were back by teatime!

I realise that the freight traffic has gone, but judging by this year’s timetables, so now has the passenger service, as these trips are now not possible from Braystones. This for me is a sad state of affairs. Although there have been many very good road improvements in Cumbria over the years, the drive from Braystones to Barrow is not the best of journeys, especially at my age.

Hopefully all is not lost and maybe a satisfactory solution will be found with joint consultation, which was not evident in the first instance.

Ray WITHINGTON

Newcastle-Under-Lyme

Staffordshire

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk