Hospital parking

We have to accept that it costs money to operate and maintain car parks and if no charge was made that would reduce what the hospitals can spend on treatment.

Lord Winston, no doubt with an income far larger than most, admits to refusing to pay car parking fines and should be thoroughly ashamed.

If car users get free parking perhaps those going by public transport should also be reimbursed or maybe the hospitals should provide a free taxi service for everyone. Get Real, we pay to park in towns and at most venues, airports etc etc and also get charged for their other services.

Yes, charges should be reasonable and there should be greater concessions for those making frequent attendances, but make it free and see if you could find a parking space then. It would be good if the car parking revenue was spent on providing more car parking or on a good park and ride facility since the Trust does not explain how the revenue is spent. If it goes on fees to Indigo or bonuses to hospital managers then we do have cause to complain.

We should be grateful that we have access to free treatment but would we like to see that money diverted to providing free parking, nice as that would be.

by email

Charity donations

While in essence I feel St Luke’s Hospice is a wonderful worthwhile cause, I am appalled that when in their Crookes charity shop on Saturday, January 5, many people were coming into the shop trying to donate their uwanted goods and were all refused.

We then went across to another charity shop on the other side of the road where customers who had witnessed this were all absolutely disgusted and said the staff at St. Luke’s had been rude to the people who were trying to donate things.

The staff in the other charity shop said they can bring it across here, we can use it.

This is not the first time we have witnessed this in the Crookes branch and I would now urge anyone wanting to donate their unwanted goods to go over the road to Fable, Age UK, RSPCA or any of the other charity shops on Crookes who will welcome all donations with open arms.

Wendy Watkins

Crookes

Here we go again

In reply to Susan Richardson. Here we go again,how much longer are we going to have to read her negative tirade against our local council.

Point one, she goes on about the loss of our beautiful trees. I, like most of the people of Sheffield, trust the tree contractors Amey. They have enough on their plate felling the damaged/dangerous trees whether they are,oak, ash or cherry.

Point two, she states again, about healthy trees being felled when a engineering solution could be used.

She questions the qualified tree contractors Amey with regard to the cost of implementing an alternative engineering solution to felling the tree.

I feel the alternative engineering solutions in most case are cost prohibitive as opposed to felling the tree.

Point three, you ask the question if Councillor Price can inform you how long it will be for you to see the replacement trees grow to the height of the Delilah tree.

Well Susan, I think the answer will be, not in your lifetime, but will benefit future generations of Sheffield.

This is the reason the council is now engaged in this work.

Point four, now we are on “cars that are blocking access on every street in Sheffield” your words Susan.

Dear Susan, your feet must be sore with your latest survey walking around all the streets of Sheffield. Also your reference to the new LED street lighting installation, and it’s effects on the motorists of Sheffield. This smacks of the Flat Earth Society here I think.

Point five, road braking up, footpaths dangerous to walk on, sounds like Sheffield is falling into an abyss and is very dangerous place to live.

Most of us are aware it is a sad loss of our mature trees, and of the importance of their foliage to our environment.

But I have faith in the future of electric vehicles and transportation and our local elected councillors. This will be a benefit to our planets fight against pollution.

Not that this is the total answer. But at step in the right direction.

Gerry Leckey

Longley Farm View, Sheffield, S5

Climate conference

Martin Phipps of the Green Party responded to my letter re. the Climate Conference with his Party’s slogan “Polluter pays”.

We already do, Road Fund Duty was abolished some years ago, Vehicle excise duty, insurance tax, fuel duty, VAT on servicing and parts are now part of general taxation funding the NHS and other services.

These indirect taxes are applied to all who use road transport, they cover all age groups and have allowed the Government to raise PAYE thresholds for lower paid workers.

On the point of “Polluter Pays” it’s been suggested many times to abolish Vehicle Excise and put it on fuel to encourage people to leave cars at home and use public transport.

Successive governments have rejected this because income would be unknown and could damage public services, they argue a fixed tax like VED gives greater certainty when budgeting for public expenditure.

In the early 1960’s much of our railways disappeared, with politicians claiming the car was King.

The road transport industry is now a major player in our economy, it could be argued we have created a monster and killing it is not an easy option.

Mick N

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Great service

There is an ageing population in Chapeltown and the staff at Asda, Chapeltown are providing an excellent service by chatting and listening and helping people daily, it’s sometimes the only company people have. They are amazing.

DA Wragg

S35