SIR - Refugees escaping from conflict!
First of all I am addressing the issue of “refugees” NOT “migrants”. The UK media and many commentators seem to be confused, labelling all who seek refuge in the UK/EU as “migrants”, forgetting the plight of those in Syria and other countries who are trying to escape the ravages of war and ethnic persecution.
No-one (I hope!) was not moved by the pictures of the young boy, drowned and washed up on a Turkish beach. 
His parents had chosen the dangerous route to escape what was an even more dangerous situation in their own country – and whether the family were Muslim or Christian matters not, they are after all desperate people seeking a desperate solution.
Britain in the past has welcomed a disparate number of refugees, but at the moment the government is paralysed by indecision worrying about the effect on  the upcoming EU Referendum!
It is time Cameron acted like a statesman and boldly states “We will take our fair share of refugees”.
Our local politicians can also start to act like human-beings and agree to house Worcestershire’s share of refugee families, rather than pandering to the vocal “little Englanders” who have lost their compassion and humanity.
JOHN CARNIE
Worcester

Are they refugees or economic chancers?
SIR - People who flee wars , according to the UN charter, are to seek refuge in the nearest safe country. That seems logical. 
But the people at Calais have passed through several peaceful countries to get to Britain. 
So are they refugees  or economic chancers? 
The little boy who drowned in Turkey, Aylan Kurdi. His family had escaped from  the Syrian conflict to Turkey. 
But not all  of Syria is war ravaged. 
 Mr Kurdi and his family were housed by the Turkish authorities. 
Mr  Kurdi told relatives he and his family were trying to get to Canada, when the tragedy happened. 
So how come Mr Kurdi was able to travel 830 miles back to Kobani in Syria, to bury his relatives who drowned?
 So was he fleeing the war, or an economic migrant? 
The conflict in Syria  has been running for four years, the Libyan conflict for two years, so why all the surge in refugees now? 
If the government accepts refugees to Britain it will send a signal that all migrants are welcome here at Britain’s expense. 
If Britain was not such  a soft touch perhaps people wouldn’t risk their lives. 
CARL MASON 
BNP Worcester

We are a nation built around immigration
SIR – Will Richards (wn.4/09) still hasn’t grasped the essentials despite having had them pointed out to him.
He stated “we must uphold the strong and successful Britain our forbears built and sacrificed for”. 
He misses the whole point that “our forbears” are the product of constant waves of immigrants and invaders throughout history. 
Not only that he ignores the non commonwealth nationals who fought fascism and imperialism in our hour of need in two world wars.
It is the diversity of this nation that is it’s greatest strength.
 A generation ago we gave refuge to a number of Somali refugees. 
Is he really saying that the likes of Mo Farah have been a drain on the  state rather than the ambassadors that they have become.
CLIVE SMITH 
Malvern


I have no faith in our traffic woes improving
SIR – It was interesting to read Tom Edwards’ article on the proposed review into Worcester’s traffic problems.
I suppose we have had to suffer appalling traffic issues for so many years now, that  most Worcester residents will have no faith in any progress ever being made to resolve the problem. 
As a St John’s resident, it seems that no matter which direction I travel in, or whatever time of day, it is going to take me around 45 minutes to get into the city. 
Deansway and Sidbury is farcical and you can sit at traffic lights and not move at all. 
The lights are synchronised all wrong at the City Walls Road/Sidbury junction, especially if you want to turn right onto the Bath Road. 
The new Ketch roundabout  has done nothing whatsoever to help with the flow of traffic from the west side of the city – in fact it actually seems worse than ever. 
Surely our councillors must experience the same problems and see where the real problems are?
In saying that, the appalling driving by many motorists is only making matters worse. 
Most seem not to  realise that the speed limit is 60mph on the link road and yet dawdle at 30mph with excessive gaps between vehicles, which simply makes the traffic back up even further. 
Similarly through the city, motorists dawdle at 15-20mph, when 28/29 is possible and will help alleviate the problem. 
One thing we can be sure of, is for what should be a 10-15 minute journey, make sure you give yourself four to five times that to make sure you get there on time.
STUART LENG
Worcester

Please check your facts, Mr Philpott
SIR – In his column on Saturday, September 5, John Philpott stated: “The fact is that HS2 – if it ever gets built – will bypass the Midlands completely as it rushes headlong for the absurdly titled ‘Northern Powerhouse’. 
In fact the only stations outside London for Phase One of HS2 (the only part with Parliamentary approval) are Birmingham Interchange (near the M42) and Birmingham Curzon Street, in the middle of the city. 
The plans for Phase Two, which would take HS2 to Manchester and Leeds, make clear that these lines would be routed via a junction at the North East of Birmingham near Castle Bromwich.
Mr Philpott is of course perfectly entitled to oppose the construction of HS2. 
But it is very bad journalism to quote “facts” which Mr Philpott knows – or should have known – to be palpably and demonstrably untrue.
KELVIN HARD 
Worcester