Readers' letters

So much for democracy and decisions affecting people being made locally.

Tourism in Lancashire was thriving, creating more local jobs, now the Government imposes fracking on us.

If shale gas is found in large quantities, there will be many other wells drilled in our area.

These wells go horizontally underground for miles and can affect large areas.

The last one caused a minor earthquake, which I felt as far away as Fulwood.

Roads around Preston are already congested and people are using country roads as short cuts to avoid congestion.

Many new housing estates are being built in the test areas and nearby Preston, would you want to buy one in this fracking area?

No compensation payment to people in affected areas will make up for potential damage to their homes, lower house prices and quality of life. Problems from the fracking process may not be immediately apparent but could occur years later.

The GMB union leaders say fracking is a good thing and will create jobs.

We will lose jobs in tourism.

We don’t want Lancashire to return to the bad old days of industrial pollution.

How many of the GMB leaders live in this area? It should not be their decision to make.

We should be supporting green energy rather than energy which causes problems, adds to climate change and makes energy firms more money but doesn’t reduce prices for users.

A Fulwood Resident

We should use tidal power

Democracy took a nosedive the other day at Little Plumpton, when the decision of our elected Lancashire County Council, with regard to fracking, was thrown aside by central Government.

Who is right? We treat the finite resources of our planet as an alcoholic would treat a cellar full of wine – some day it will all be gone – and here we have a fine example.

It is a stopgap – a temporary expedient, though not a lasting solution to the ever increasing calls on the supply of energy.

But we are more fortunate than most, for we are surrounded by the sea which is forever on the move.

Anyone who travels the sea as I do, knows the awesome power of the tide – predictable, reliable and, as yet, completely ignored by us.

There are many ways in which it can be harnessed, some more debatable than others, but a day will come when we shall have no alternative but to use the sea.

James Hewitt, Freckleton

Both candidates are unsuitable

Understandably, our political eyes are focused on the fact that today the country has, for the first time in memory, only one credible political party.

There is no political opposition worthy of the name.

However, there is taking place in America a Presidential Election campaign, the outcome of which will have enormous consequences for the Western world. We would do well to study it.

In a lifetime of studying and witnessing American politics, I have never encountered two more unsuitable candidates.

Neither is fit to occupy the White House or become commander-in-chief of America’s armed services. For one to be called a serial liar, a security risk and be told she ought to be in prison, and her opponent called a bigot, misogynist and crude is bordering on the unbelievable. The two are representing the world’s most powerful democracy, not a third-world dictatorship.

The acrimony and mud-slinging, no matter how justified, is seriously demeaning America.

The only ones who are benefiting are the enemies of the West.

Barry Clayton via email

Bleak outlook for finances

Two LEP reports in one week are a cause for serious concern.

First, fracking. The Government has overruled everybody, regardless of all the opposition to fracking.

Because the council has refused Cuadrilla’s attempts, it has been granted £330,000 for its costs.

Who granted it?

In my book, if Cuadrilla wants to go down this road, they should finance it themselves. It is their choice.

Why should we be penalised?

If the day comes and Cuadrilla succeeds, they will soon recover their costs by charging everybody a big increase in prices.

Then there is the Broughton Bypass fiasco.

After about 30 years of meetings, discussions and many surveys, the £24m improvement started. Glory be!

Guess what?

A problem has emerged.

Eddie Sutton, the director of development and corporate services, said there was a complication with the ground condition that had not been realised by the initial survey.

They now need to dig deeper to build the Brooklands bridge.

Only another £3m and a further five months to complete after going back to the original plans.

Is the council just going to sit in cosy chairs and give the surveying firm all this money?

The council should demand a huge refund from the first £24m and not pay any more.

It was very nice of Mr Sutton

to “thank the people for their

patience.” Bless him.

Dan’s abode@Clayton le Woods

My house is

on priory site

You learn something every day!

I enjoyed the letter from Andy Atkinson regarding Sir Robert Peel (LEP Letters October 10 ).

It’s the first time I have ever heard of Peel residing in Penwortham Priory.

I would disagree, however, with the statement that the priory was demolished in the 1960s.

It was in 1925 that Lawrence Rawsthorne sold the remainder of the estate to a syndicate of Preston builders, and by 1926 the priory had gone and 50 acres of land were used for housing.

I am pleased they were, mine is one of them!

Allan Fazackerley

via email