'I'm mourning our lost communities' - Your letters plus three nostalgic pictures from the past in Shropshire and the West Midlands

A bumper letters special today, with three pictures from the past to enjoy. It is safe to say many of you are fed up with modern life and would like simpler times to return.

Rates system is just ridiculous

I was astounded to read in the Star recently that the main fire service station in central Telford will cost the fire service an extra £400k due to its rebuild.

Firstly, why is the fire service being charged rates (or should it be council tax?) on its buildings when they are there for the benefit of us all? Their rates are being paid by us through – guess what? Our council tax and other taxes. So we are paying tax, some of which goes to pay the fire service tax paid to us! This is a ridiculous merry-go-round.

Secondly, presumably the fire authority knew a posh rebuild to the Telford station would put up its rates? So why did they have such a posh rebuild? Why did they not just build onto the previous building the extra pieces they needed and keep the rates increase down?

Also, it raises the question of what other public buildings are subjected to rates? Police stations? Community halls? Hospitals? Doctors surgeries? Other health use buildings? MPs surgery offices? And how about council offices – is the council charging itself council tax? And then charging us council tax to pay it?

This needs looking into and some policy worked out to stop this ridiculous system which is itself costing money to operate.

Richard Camp, 

Wellington

Lessons from my bus journey to market town

I live in Wem, and recently I needed to go to Market Drayton. I also wanted to call into Shrewsbury town centre on the same day. 

So I decided to use the buses instead of the car. I knew the whole process would take time.

As someone who hardly knows Market Drayton, however, I was fascinated by what I saw - an excellent North Shropshire town with so much to offer. 

But two downsides struck me - empty units in the town centre and, far more importantly, a sense of isolation, almost depressing in nature, that is most definitely linked to poor transport connectivity. It may take an outsider to see the full nature of it.

Surely, there should be a better express bus service linking the town to Shrewsbury or even Telford. Just a few extra services each day, one very early in the morning and crucially one late at night, would suffice. 

My bus from Shrewsbury to Drayton did not exactly go "all around the Wrekin", but it did its level best. 

The excruciating procession up the Whitchurch Road to the Battlefield Island always seems to take an eternity. Adding to that detours to Hodnet and Tern Hill makes the journey too long for those who do not need to get off en route.

Of course this long service, with many stops, is essential for those living along the way. 

I am simply suggesting an additional express service with no stops at all between town centres. 

Please forgive me if this is an old debate, but as an outsider it seems such an obvious need.

A railway link would be superb but is clearly too much to hope for. But the general issue of transport connectivity is so important economically and socially. Wem is a much smaller town, but early in the morning, even at night, there are people waiting for trains, going places. Unlike the commuter towns of the South, there are fewer passengers and no coffee machines. 

But there is a sense of connectivity. In contrast, Market Drayton's bus station seemed bedraggled, and I had the sense that if I missed the last bus I might perish overnight.

Market Drayton has huge potential - plenty of businesses, excellent housing, beautiful countryside, important history, people who want better for their town and their children. 

A permanent express bus service provided to Shrewsbury, maybe even Telford railway station, replicating the car journey times, could be a gamechanger.

The approach should be a "build it and they will come" one. Get the service in place, and the economic and social architecture changes. People have more options. Commercial and social connections develop. 

This is not merely a bus timetable issue, it is a matter of strategic economic and social significance for a town whose good people deserve far better.

John Gemmell, Shropshire

Fed up with news on former Duke