SIR – In 1936 there occurred the need to build an auxiliary to the local railway system through Worcester, for transporting workers to the factories built along the tracks by using small stations or halts. This was a very efficient and cheap service, Invaluable in time of floods and snow. But with the advance of car ownership it became redundant. 
Now is a good time to reverse the trend. With such high car costs, the resurrection of this rail halt system could be a winner. A lot of the tracks and system are still in place but the platforms are long gone. 
The three extra highways in and out of Worcester would wipe out traffic problems almost overnight. Using the revived interest in the new parkway station to finance this long term investment would encourage the rail authorities to include the venture in their Norton station project, the addition of a halt platform adjacent to the university and a bridge similar to the one across the Butts linking the railway to the top of the new sports centre in Hylton road would link the universities to the entire rail system.
Can you picture the system in use in the future, and the benefits it promises, linking Hereford, Ledbury, Malvern, Kays new estates into Worcester centre, Blackpole, Fernhill Heath, Droitwich and so on, the St Peter’s line would connect to the new Norton station and national rail.
Perhaps some of the committees and planners could evaluate the viability. Impact. and cost with it feeding Worcestershire and its universities through the Norton gateway onto the national railways.
It would certainly put Worcester back on the map. Diverting money from the proposed bus pick up and drop service would give better returns, as the return of the train halts would make the buses and station redundant.
A short train trip to Hereford would show the sidings and rails are still in place, but the signals and points will want renewing.
Don’t forget how the west country holiday traffic through Bristol would benefit from this.
Could The Hive and its surrounding car parks be included as a new Worcester rail station, selling Foregate Street?
STANLEY CLAYTON
Worcdester

Is Alan Amos just a political bellwether?
SIR – It might come as a bit of a surprise, but I’m not Alan Amos’ greatest fan. Having jumped the Tory ship to join Labour, presumably a bit miffed at being dumped by Hexham Tories; and having jumped the Labour ship after having been gifted mayoralty of the Faithful City by the Tories; is Amos preparing to jump ship once again to join UKIP?
Amos, in a 2000 interview with the Guardian’s Sally Weale, claimed: “I like to think I’m a tolerant, understanding person.” Scant evidence of that in the latest mutterings from this city’s former first person reported in today’s Worcester News (Sep 12, 2015). It is bad enough that our national media persistently conflates refugees with immigrants that our politicians – those we expect to lead us with a moral compass akin to the very holiest of men – also attempt to compare those escaping from the humanitarian crises in the Middle East with economic migrants. It comes as no surprise that those who shout loudest about immigration also have the fewest answers, indicating that their concern is something of a knee-jerk reaction
The immigration argument is a new one for Amos and I don’t mean to sound as if I’m harping on about Amos’ pendular political past, but let us not forget that he has been a proud supporter of each of the previous governments, governments which have repeatedly failed to plan for the increase in immigration to this country. Is Amos a political bellwether? Or, is this nothing more than political opportunism from someone once described by Edwina Currie as wanting “to be an MP for any party which will have him”?
ROBYN NORFOLK
Worcester

Badgers spread destruction
SIR – I would like to reiterate a letter sent in by Mr L Presley about the badger cull.
He is right, badgers do spread the TB virus, it has been proven, and is a positive threat to not only the steers, but mostly dairy cattle. My husband I ran a smallholding in Martley with 150 dairy cattle, slowly but surely, they were all destroyed due to this horrible disease, the meat is inedible, the milk is contaminated, it was such a sorry sight, we had to sell up and move home. Badgers are vermin and spread this uncontrollable disease, any campaigners against the cull, obviously haven’t seen the devastation and destruction they leave behind.
AMY FITZGERALD
Worcester


Syrians should join forces and fight
SIR – We all see on TV and newspapers about the Syrian refugees.
Yes it’s very moving to see young children, women and old folk suffer but why don’t the young healthy ones join the forces and fight for their country to make it a safer place.
In the Second World War we didn’t run. We were told to fight if the enemy landed that’s what I was told. It makes me wild when other countries say we should do more. We’ve done more than our share through the years. Have they looked at the map of the world lately and seen how small our island is. 
I still say this EU is to blame for the stampede. I just hope Brussels are doing their whack.
The only time I hear the name Brussels is when they are giving out order. I’m sure there’s lots more that agree.
A G MACDONALD
 Worcester