SIR – If Worcestershire County Council wants further proof as to why car drivers cannot rely on First Buses to travel to work, what about this? 
Recently the management said that the service 30 to Dines Green failing to run on three occasions was a one-off. And me reporting that, the so-called 10 minute service from Crown Gate to The Worcestershire Royal left me waiting for half an hour.
A busload of would-be passengers and I waited at the retail park near Malvern on March 17 for the 44 to Worcester (another 10-minute service) for well over an hour, during which time six buses came – but all to Malvern.
I repeat, ‘call that a service?’
Phil Pegler
Worcester

Animal study is not ‘vital’
SIR – Simon Gillespie of the British Heart Foundation tells us that “the majority of life-saving medical advances ... involved animal research” and that it “is vital to future breakthroughs”.
Yes it was and is involved, but it tends merely to cloud the issue. 
In reality epidemiology – the study of groups of people over time, clinical studies of people who are ill, and autopsies – have provided information directly related to human disease and enabled the development of new treatments. 
If the findings of human study are not corroborated by animal research they tend to be ignored. 
The discovery (through human study) that smoking causes cancer was ignored for decades because it couldn’t be reproduced in animals.
How many people died because of that?  
The BHF was established in 1961. 
It’s 2016 now and they’re still only “bringing us closer to new medicines to prevent the deadly blood clots that cause heart attacks and strokes.” 
Where have they been? 
If they’re so dependent on animal experiments why is there absolutely no mention of them on their website?
Roberta Balfour
Malvern

Be real about EU numbers
SIR – Why are David Cameron and George Osbourne hell bent on keeping immigration numbers rising, and lying to the public over the net figures? 
Could it be that their rich mates are making a mint out of cheap labour?
They have especially misled the public on the number of arrivals from Bulgaria and Romania, a fact Nigel Farage warned us about 18 months ago.
We are led to believe, by the Government that 257,000 came to the UK in 2015 from the EU, yet in reality it was nearer 630,000 – that was the amount that received N.I. numbers-and that’s only the adults!
Is it any wonder we need to build another million homes? 
That our schools, NHS, and such are crumbling under vast numbers?
Cheap labour for big businesses?
Brendan Ellis
Leominster

Leave Europe or UK’s over
SIR – The Tories splinter over Europe. 
Will Labour do likewise? Will their MPs campaign with conscience? 
No. Labour tribalism will prevent this. 
Anyone veering from the ‘narrative’ will risk a knife in the back.
The near-fascism (check its definition before you recoil) of the Labour machine will prevent many dissenting voices being heard from within. 
As Labour remains silent on the EU, it continues, in the words of UKIP’s Nigel Farage, “to feast on us like a hungry vampire”. 
Our children’s democratic future is more important  than which Labour MPs gets what after they usurp their leader. 
If we don’t leave the EU, the UK is finished.
We’ll become part of a superstate for which we didn’t vote. 
Shame on this spineless, self serving Labour opposition.
Owen Cleary
Worcester


We need cash for traffic too
SIR – I notice in the budget, money has been allocated for extra river crossings in various towns to alleviate traffic congestion. Has Mr Walker put forward any plans for Worcester to have the same?
Kenneth Peggrem 
Worcester

Don’t criticise our officers
SIR – Regarding ‘Dog Deaths Unnecessary’. How can Carole Roberts possibly know what was said in a police conversation? Unless, of course, she works for the police in which case she has breached confidentiality regulations.
Stop judging officers who work extremely hard over long hours for little thanks.
They do a brilliant job and deserve our gratitude not criticism.
Pat Kelly
Worcester

Cruelty free fair great idea
SIR – I was delighted to read that a “Cruelty Free Fair, showcasing products that animals have not been harmed to create”, is to take place on Worcester High Street on April 2.
I have since discovered the event will be held in The Guildhall and I shall certainly be going along. 
I recently went to a similar event in Evesham that was attended by almost 1,000 members of the public
 interested in adopting a more humane diet and lifestyle, for the benefit of other animals, the environment and their own health.
Isobel Thorpe
Worcester