I AM a bus passenger on the 31X route from Kirkbymoorside and Helmsley to York, which appears threatened.

I use this to make rail connections at York for essential visits to sick relatives far away (I no longer drive); to catch trains for holiday purposes (there is no bus direct to Malton station); to visit York for medical appointments and to visit sick friends in hospital; and to visit York libraries for research as a student.

North Yorkshire County Council’s website shows there is to be a new timetable from Sunday, April 29.

Some people returning home ignorant of the change - workers, students, visitors - may be stranded.

I phoned NYCC twice to pass on local worry as to their intentions. This has helped me no further - just telling me the timetable is as Sunday, February 18.

The phone number given by NYCC for Malton Transdev was unanswered - “mailbox full”.

Today when I rang NYCC they said they would “pass it on”- and there would be a “similar frequency” on the new timetable. Not so.

A source has informed me that the evening bus from York to Kirkbymoorside is to be withdrawn. This would be catastrophic for many people, affecting all kinds of plans based on a late afternoon bus.

I asked NYCC as their subsidy is given to this service.

I would much appreciate through your columns reaching other 31X passengers, encouraging them, parish councils along the route from Kirkbymoorside, Helmsley, Oswaldkirk, Ampleforth (Abbey and College), Byland with Wass,

Coxwold, Husthwaite and Easingwold, and visitors from or via York, to make their views known.

People could also inform me at johnopenlearning18@gmail.com

John Dean, Beadlam, Nawton

Where were you?

MALTON town councillors should be ashamed of themselves for not attending the annual meeting of the Woodhams-Stone Collection on April 12.

This is the largest and best local history collection there has ever been and should be a great attraction for visitors to Malton.

Sid Woodhams and John Stone have offered this collection free to the towns and with limited support are making headway with or without the town’s support.

E Alan Jones, Malton

Sad state of affairs

COMING home on the B1248 before North Grimston, we noted lots of bags of rubbish on the roadside, obviously collected by public spirited people.

After the bags we noted that both grass verges were littered with bottles, cans, plastic cups, sweet packets etc, etc.

This was the case all the way to Malton.

Who are these filthy people who desecrate our beautiful countryside with their rubbish? Obviously the litter is thrown from vehicles.

It is high time that something was done about this.

Why should it be left to a handful of kind-hearted people to clear up the mess. Everywhere you go now the verges are the same.

I think only large fines and points on their licences are going to deter these louts and it is not just the verges alongside our footpaths we find discarded items, on one quarter mile stretch I filled two bin bags of rubbish.

Obviously education isn’t effective. What a sad state of affairs.

Anybody got any other

suggestions on how to stop the litter louts?

Bill Tait, Helmsley

A big thank you

RECENTLY, there has been much recognition at the current success of the achievements of volunteers in keeping various regional libraries up and running.

As a volunteer group member here at Pickering I would wholeheartedly like the former and current staff to know that without their dedicated help in training and supporting the volunteers we couldn’t have achieved as much as we have.

A big thank you on behalf of all volunteers here at Pickering.

Kevin Butt, Pickering

Which is correct?

WHILE visiting the pretty town of Helmsley recently I spotted a postcard in one shop which said: “Yorkshire born and Yorkshire bred, Thick in th’arm and Good in Bed”.

Growing up in neighbouring Lancashire, we were taught our own version of this which went: “Yorkshire born and Yorkshire bred, Thick in th’arm and Thick in th’ead.”

Which is correct, I wonder?

Charlie Garth, Ampthill, Beds