'Why transport investment must reach beyond the West Midlands' - Your Letters plus an archive snapshot of Father Christmas bringing cheer to Shrewsbury in 1955

Public transport must be spread

The new report from Midlands Connect confirms what I have been saying for years: transport investment should not stop at the West Midlands county boundary.

For too long Metro mayors have been unwilling to invest in transport links along commuter routes in East Shropshire and South Staffordshire (and beyond). This has contributed to the very congestion they want to reduce.

Creating robust, seamless, frequent transport links that reflect the modern working day, should be top priority for building economic growth, high street regeneration, education and training opportunities as well as facilitating tourism. This is taken for granted in the buoyant South East where Transport for London extends beyond the hinterland with all the incentives built in.

Shropshire by contrast, is a backwater with mothballed railways and bus services that restrict connectivity, job markets, and consumer spending.

Yet it could be so different: extending Transport for West Midlands beyond county boundaries, integrating the West Midlands into a Geographic Economic Region, but maintaining the identity and individuality of the neighbouring Shires, will have big mutual benefits with a diverse range of opportunities distinctly different, but easily accessible to an expanded market.

Nothing will change overnight. It will take a while for people in, for example, Bridgnorth to realise they can access the fast expanding transport network of Midlands Connect, including Birmingham Airport and National Rail without having to return at 6.15pm.

Given time, passengers and revenue should grow as new opportunities are realised. This I would hope is implicit in the report.

Mike Crump, Bridgnorth

​Hospital care was excellent

Recently I was a patient for 10 days at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

The cleanliness, care, and commitment of staff from top professionals to ancillary was second to none.

How fortunate we are to live in this county bubble.

Esther Munslow, Much Wenlock

What’s going on with our Mail?

I live in Market Drayton and I’m only getting post one day a week.

I had a letter from the hospital that was posted on November 25 and didn’t arrive until December 5.

Luckily it wasn’t to confirm an appointment otherwise I probably would have missed it.

Why, oh why is it taking so long for the Royal Mail to deliver the post?

Sue Walker, Market Drayton

Apprenticeships to be welcomed

The UK Government has announced a £725 million package of reforms to the apprenticeship system.

It is aimed at tackling youth unemployment and driving economic growth.

It is to be hoped that this time apprenticeships are not just left with companies by the government in the hope that all will be well.

My time as a commercial apprentice proved vital when entering general management positions later. 

However, I cannot say that schemes were set up purely to train.

You would receive a memo from the trainee manager to report to a new department the following Monday.

As a 16/17 year old I would have no knowledge whatsoever prior to joining the department as to say what the 'Production Control Dept' was and in fact for the first month or so would be none the wiser as I would be given some menial task and told to get on with it.

After I while, I would pick up what was going on. It was either that or as happened on one occasion; 'As you have knowledge of technical drawings at GCE level, please report to Mr X in Production Planning as we have need of a stand in production planner' (I had never done the job previously). 

So it was a combination of dogsbody and cheap labour, but I have never complained about this as it certainly gave me five years of understanding complex production businesses.

I feel that if my apprenticeship had been more closely monitored and at least before entering some new department. I might have received say a week's indoctrination, I would have benefited even more than I did. All in all. I applaud this initiative. Too often, the answer for the young has been university which in many cases has been of little use in the world of work.

Alan M Etheridge, Midlands

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