'Agricultural land is not the right place for solar panels'

Yet solar farms are clamouring for more land to put panels on.

Solar panels are a great source of energy in the right place – I have them myself.

But agricultural land is not it.

Our energy minister wants to put them on five square miles of fertile wheat and barley land in East Anglia, but that’s alright, he says you can still graze sheep under them. But they don’t eat wheat or barley stubble and grass will not last long under panels – but creeping thistle, ground ivy, docks and ragwort will. Crazy.

I spent three weeks chopping bracken and gorse on 50 acres of high moorland facing south, unseen from any road or path, yet within two miles of two villages.

There are hundreds of acres outside of the national parks that could be used.

The panels would protect ground nesting birds from weather and aerial predators.

W Calvert, Northallerton.

School mapping

I WAS mystified to read that North Yorkshire Council has used a “digital tool” to identify the shortest route from home to school for children living in Upper Swaledale, “Head raises school transport concerns” (D&S Times North Yorkshire edition, Oct 18).

This area has been mapped in detail since the 19th Century, and I would have thought that all of this information could have been obtained from a paper Ordnance Survey map.

Tony Robinson, Romanby, Northallerton, (ex- Ordnance Survey 1967-8).

Transport change

IT beggars belief that officers at North Yorkshire Council (NYC) should be proposing sending children to school on minor upland roads because they may be shorter in terms of mileage than the main A roads, “Head raises school transport concerns” (D&S Times, Oct 18).

According to the Highways authority at NYC, these minor roads are not prioritised in adverse road conditions and are unsuitable for heavy vehicles.

One hopes the councillors will treat this proposal with the contempt it deserves.

Our children have suffered enough disruption to their education due to Covid.

They should not be further disadvantaged.

Susan Latter, Scruton, Northallerton.

Dualling delays

I FIND it incredible that there is a possibility of the improvement of the A66 no longer going ahead, which will mean that the junction with Ravensworth would have been made safer.

I consider this junction as one of the most dangerous on the A66, “MPs urge Starmer not to delay £1.5bn A66 dualling scheme” (D&S Times, Oct 18).

If I am travelling towards Scotch Corner and intend to turn right to Ravensworth, unless the road is completely clear ahead I do not use that space designated to await turning right as traffic heading towards you is travelling at speed and gives the impression of veering towards you as the road slightly bends to the right.

Apart from this junction at busy times, traffic virtually comes to a standstill, both ways around Mainsgill.

I notice that a 30mph speed limit has been refused in several places in County Durham as it has been deemed that the length of road is not long enough to qualify.

Perhaps 40mph isn’t included in this restriction as travelling to Gainford from Darlington there is, in my opinion, a stupid restriction of 40mph which lasts for a few yards before a 30mph speed limit.

Thomas Ball, Barnard Castle.

A684 flooding

I WOULD like to support Anne Smirthwaite regarding her recent letter about the flooding of the A684 at Morton-on-Swale (D&S Times letters, Oct 4).

She is correct in saying that motorists seeking an alternative route when the A684 is closed encounter congestion and confusion at Langton Bridge. They then have to cope with narrow roads through the village to Leeming Bar and beyond.

Traffic lights and warning signs would be helpful to tackle the recurring problem which is the regular flooding of the Swale west of Morton bridge.

To keep the A684 road open during flooding should be a priority.

Raising the carriageway above flood level could be the answer, but there may be alternatives.

Perhaps dredging the river or raising embankments might also be considered.

B Simpson, Kirkby Fleetham.

Vermin attraction

READING your story “Weekly food waste collections proposed” (D&S Times Oct 18), I can only sympathise with the good folks of Darlington.

My brother-in-law lived in Reigate, Surrey, where they were issued a small caddy for the collection of food waste, to be collected weekly at the kerbside.

Basically, a bucket with a loose-fitting lid.

It was invaded most nights by marauding cats, rats, mice, foxes and the occasional badger. Along with slugs and snails.

The smell was horrendous, especially in the warmer months when the caddy had to be placed outside the back door, which also added to the fly population.

No bin liners or wrappers (from out-of-date food stuffs) were allowed so the caddy had to be scrubbed once emptied, to remove the inevitable gloop that accumulated from a week’s worth of rotting food, and that’s as long as the wind hadn’t blown it down the street.

Paul Blagden, Northallerton.

Pensioners’ rights

WE, the patronisingly named, ageing population, are being robbed left, right, centre and all other points by this government.

We are also being encouraged to apply for Pension Credit in order to supplement our state pension which would probably turn out to be a couple of pounds too much so that means more taxation. I don’t know if I’d be entitled to that Pension Credit and from horror stories of filling in the application, I wouldn’t want to try.

I wouldn’t want to get it wrong and be accused of fraud or fined. It was always my belief that Robin Hood robbed the rich to give to the poor but it seems Sir Keir Starmer and his posse haven’t read that story and thinks it is the other way round.

I’m not sure about Dick Turpin, but I’m pretty sure he left the poor alone and only robbed the richer ones.

Perhaps the Government hopes pensioners’ numbers will reduce this year, mainly from hypothermia?

Or maybe one of them has read The Time Machine by H G Wells and thinks they should take a page out of that book [pardon the pun].

There’s a nifty little piece where the traveller lands and witnesses a bunch of people entering a building, never to be seen again.

One assumes they were euthanised due to over-population.

Here’s an idea. Why don’t we start a new political party? Pensioners Rights Party. Well, they can’ t tax our dreams.

Janet S Kitchen-Cooper, York.

Halloween plea

AS Halloween celebrations become bigger and scarier every year, it’s important to remain mindful that we don’t harm animals while scaring ourselves silly.

With a few simple rules of thumb, we can all ensure that we’re never ghouls to animals on All Hallows’ Eve.

Balloons, streamers, fake webs, and other decorations can entangle small animals, while chocolate, raisins, nuts, and items sweetened with xylitol can be deadly, so keep them out of reach of small paws.

Never attend a Halloween event that features live animals.

Rats, snakes, bugs, and spiders aren’t really scary: they’re fascinating individuals who deserve to live in peace without being handled and harassed – or cast as Halloween villains.

And please avoid dressing up animal companions in costumes that could restrict their movement or cause them distress.

Use pumpkins in vegan pies or soups. After your jack-o’-lantern has lit up the holiday, make a meal of it for yourself or dispose of it safely rather than leaving it for wildlife to eat.

Pumpkin isn’t a natural wild food source for many animals and can make them sick. More tips can be found at PETA.org.uk.

Jennifer White, senior media and communications manager, PETA UK.

Tax imbalance

IT’S a no-brainer. Raising Capital Gains Tax (CGT) to match income tax is economically and morally just.

Remember, we live in a country where the richest one per cent own 37 per cent of all financial assets, worth £1.8trn.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has made clear she won’t raise VAT, income or corporation tax and has given the thumbs down, for ideological reasons, to bringing in a wealth tax.

CGT, paid by 0.5 per cent of the population, is levied on the sale of stocks, bonds, precious metals and real estate. It comes at an average rate of 24 per cent, well below the 40-45 per cent paid on income tax by the UK’s better paid workers. Raising it to the same rate as income tax would generate £16.7bn (Tax Justice UK).

The majority of the UK’s worker’s pay 30 per cent on earnings below £50,000.

Advocates of change are in unexpected company.

A former Chancellor described the tax imbalance as “a major injustice”, conceding that a change would “benefit the economy”.

His name? Margaret Thatcher’s close ally, Nigel Lawson.

C Walker, Darlington.

Community help

THANK YOU for your really informative article on supporting asylum seekers and refugees “Helping the vulnerable” (D&S Times, Oct 18).

The AMAL Project, Methodist Asylum Project, Justice First and others are such important community partners. A really valuable article.

Mark White, Billingham.