27/02/2014 Look North (Yorkshire)

Welcome to Look North. On the programme tonight: Is this

Yorkshire's most dangerous village? There have already been 14 `ccidents

here since the start of the year. Residents fear nothing will be done

until someone is killed. Also tonight: Accused of making

money from motorists ` York City Council makes more than

half`a`million pounds from drivers crossing Lendal Bridge. We have

ended up finding a lot more people than we initially anticipatdd. Join

me later to find out what I'm doing here in Yorkshire! It is bedn

another right day. What abott tomorrow and the weekend? Join me

for the forecast coming up shortly. Tonight, is this one of the most

dangerous rural villages in Yorkshire? There have been 04

crashes in nearly as many wdeks in the village of Nether Haugh near

Rotherham. One house has bedn hit three times this year alone and in

the latest incident, walls hnside the house were cracked. At ` second

property, a wall has also bden crashed into and partially knocked

down four times. Cars are rdgularly crashing through hedgerows `nd ended

up in the fields. Villagers have now started recording the crashds in

their fight to get something done. They fear it is only a mattdr of

time before someone is killdd. Ian White reports.

Traffic thunders along the dasy route three Nether Haugh. The people

who live here say they think there as is the most dangerous village in

Yorkshire. They are fed up with all the crashes. 14 accidents hdre since

the start of the year. Their battered homes and Gardens bare all

discards. Ted Grayson showed me the damage in his garden. I am nervous.

This garden is a no go area. You just don't dare use it. You can see

behind me what happens, and it is a regular thing. Two times whdn they

have done it, I was very ne`r it! I have had a few near misses. I have

been nearly wiped out a few times. The house across the road h`s been

struck out vehicles three thmes since January. We got a phone call

from one of the neighbours saying another vehicle had collided with

the house and we came back to this, basically. It ran square on into the

side of the building. This hs just one of the measures that thd council

has put in place to try and slow the traffic. No one from the highways

department would talk to us today, but in a statement they said they

were aware of the high numbdr of accidents and are monitoring the

situation closely. When you travel through the visit is like a ghost

town. People would rather drive to the neighbours then use the

pavement. Campaigners want ` speed camera and a 20 mile an hour limit.

The highways department quoting the totality is and serious injtries

before anything will be dond. How does that make you feel? Frtstrated

doesn't even come into it. Ht is shocking! Some say you only get

dangerous drivers, not roads. Perhaps here it is a combin`tion of

both. Well, police say they're monitoring

the situation and Rotherham Council now say they will undertake an

immediate survey of the road to assess the conditions. Ed Morrow

from the road safety charitx Brake joins us now.

Does there have to be a death before the authorities do anything? I would

hope not. At Brake we are contacted often by communities like this, and

the communities have to campaign tirelessly to get action taken.

Convention is a lot better than cure. We would like to see

prevention is taken before there is a serious injury. This is also about

stopping people being scared. We have a situation where lots of

people are saying they are scared to go out of their homes! They should

be able to do that. It sounds as if they are doing everything they can.

Can you offer any further advice? This is a case to go is right to the

heart of our campaign for whdespread 20 mile `` for widespread 20 mile an

hour speed limits or people live. It is critical. It has been proven to

reduce casualties, and get lore people I walking and cycling. They

are completely right to ask for a speed camera and reduce the speed

limit. We would encourage them to keep campaigning, to keep engaging

strongly with the local authority, `` get their MP involved, if they

haven't already. We have had successes. I will be contacting the

campaigners to see what we can do to help.

Next tonight, a burglar frol Rotherham has been sentenced to life

in prison and will serve a linimum of 24 years for murdering a father

from Barnsley who was trying to defend his family and his property.

Dean Armitage disturbed Davhd Sindall as he attempted to steal his

Range Rover from outside his house in Hoyland last summer. The

49`year`old suffered fatal head injuries and never regained

consciousness, as Kate Bradbrook reports. Dean Armitage was ` father

of from Barnsley. He balked last summer after hearing noises outside

his home. What he finds when he ventured out was David Sind`ll, he

had already burgled his house, attempting to steal his car. Mr

Armitage was struck on the head following on concrete. It w`s brutal

in the fact that once Dean was unconscious on the floor, the

offender carried on punching and kicking him, swearing at hil before

running off. He had no regard for him lying on the floor. That was the

last time that Dean Armitagd was awake. He died three weeks later in

hospital. The family of Dean Armitage say:

the judge told him that when Dean Armitage built a home and btsiness

through hard work, you got xours to stealing. You did intend to cause

him grievous bodily harm. Ndighbours were left shocked by the killing. I

felt dreadful today. It is absolutely horrible. It shotldn t

happen. David Sindall, he h`s history of burglary and violence

offences, will serve a minilum of 24 years in prison.

Later on Look North: The relarkable story of a World War I test pilot

from Leeds. Descendants havd described Roly as an Edwardhan

adrenaline junkie. Find out why later on Look North.

City of York Council has revealed the results of its controversial

six`month trial closure of Lendal Bridge. Since September last year,

the bridge has been closed to traffic between 10.30am and 5.0 pm.

In that time, more than 40,000 penalty charge notices have been

issued to drivers who've usdd the bridge during restricted hotrs.

That's brought in more than ?1. million pounds. But the council says

it is only half`a`million pounds once costs have been deductdd. Cathy

Killick has the details. Lendal Bridge is one of thrde

bridges crossing the river of news. River views. But the last shx months

it has been closed by the vdhicles during the day. It has meant long

detours for motorists and accusations that the council would

simply like to make money. Some businesses are very against it. This

business's carers make 600 calls a week to vulnerable people in the

city. And I spent more time in their cars than they do with clients.

Normally you could say it would take 1015 minutes to get from ond client

to another. It could not be up to three quarters of an time Mhcro

That is a big problem if yot have clients who have medication they

need to take a set times. The bus companies support the closure. The

bridges open to them and bus passengers have seen a markdd

improvement in the service `s a result. I could have guaranteed that

I would've been sitting in this bus in stationary traffic. As you can

see, we have just sealed ovdr the bridge. We have seen across the

network services are about 4% more punctual than they were before the

trial. The 11 million custolers who use buses every year will bdnefit

from that just because they can have more certainty that the busds will

turn up. That improvement h`s seen 15,000 people a week getting on the

buses in your home exactly what the council wanted. There is no doubt

that Lendal Bridge is much lore pleasant for pedestrians. Over the

last few decades, cars have been pushed out of York, each st`ge has

proved difficult and controversial. Is this latest closure just

something we will get used to, or will the inconvenience provd a

bridge too far? Councillors will have to decide in the coming weeks.

We should know their decision by the beginning of April.

Well, the man in charge of the Lendal Bridge Project is Cotncillor

Dave Merrett. He came to sed us to defend the scheme. If our albition

of getting a much better and reliable bus service works `nd we

are able to increase frequencies, increased reliability is an extended

services over the years, we will get a lot or people on the servhces

unless cards on road and it should ease things. At the moment ht is

only four minutes extra in terms of getting from the West side of the

city centre to the East sidd. How many? On average, four minutes. I am

saying rubbish to you! It is much more than four minutes. You must be

going at midnight. That is the average for the period of the day

that the bridge is closed mdasured from metal gate to the hosphtal I

accept your view on that. A lot of people might not. Go down Ldeman

Road, watch the potholes because there are a lot of those, as the

people who live in those hotses about the congestion. Try the inner

ring road. There has been some redistribution of traffic. The

traffic rigours on Leeman Road at the same as they were beford, but

there is more queueing at the north end in terms of vehicles turning

right onto what end. We are looking at what further measures we can do

to mitigate that. I come back to the main point, we are a growing city,

car ownership is increasing and over the next 15 years the best lodelling

work suggests that we will double or treble congestion in the city. It is

absolutely essential that wd get a better, more reliable bus sdrvice

and get more people to use the buses if we are to avoid that. Yot have

made a lot of money. Hundreds of thousands of pounds. You must be

delighted at the way that h`s gone? No, I'm not. We have find a lot more

people than we anticipated. I'm not happy. Where does the money go? We

have to spend it on the highways and transport issues. There is the

potential for a shuttle bus across the city centre so people c`n park

on one side and gets to the shops on the other side. Thank you vdry much

for answering our questions. The workforce at a military base in

North Yorkshire is to be significantly reduced over the next

two years. Around 2,200 staff work at RAF Menwith Hill near Harrogate.

Two`thirds of those are American and the rest are British. 500 Alerican

military and civilian posithons will be phased out by 2016 as a result of

defence cuts being made by the US. The Ministry of Defence says some

British posts are likely to be cut as a result, but it's not ydt clear

how many. Family and friends are remelbering

missing York woman Claudia Lawrence on what would have been her 40th

birthday. It is almost five years since Claudia was reported lissing.

Despite a high`profile police investigation involving up to 1 0

officers, no trace of her h`s been found. Detectives believe she was

murdered, but Claudia's mother and father remain convinced she's still

alive. Remember this? Well, that w`s

obviously the excited footb`ll fans at Doncaster Rovers last night. Yes,

they were all there to see the team's new player make his debut `

One Direction star Louis Tollinson. They had come from all over the

place and queued for hours for a chance to get close to him. Rovers

fan Tomlinson, who won two Brit Awards earlier this month, came on

as a second`half substitute in the fixture against Rotherham. Ht was

part of a joint partnership with local charity Bluebell Wood

Children's Hospice. Tomlinson's 65th`minute arrival at right`back

was greeted by a deafening ovation from the bumper 5,333 crowd. The

game ended in a goalless dr`w, So did he enjoy it? It is such an

honour to be false in a club where I spent most of my childhood to watch

the games. To put on the shhrt is my boyhood dream. Before 7.00pl: I ll

be chatting to Paul Michael Glaser, better known as Detective D`vid

Starsky, but he's playing a totally different role this time, and

getting to dance and sing, `t the Bradford Alhambra. Join me later on

Look North to hear my excithng news. Now to the latest in our World War

One at Home Series. All this week, to mark the centenary of thd First

World War, we're running stories about how the war affected people

here in Yorkshire. Tonight we have the story of test pilot Rowland Ding

from Leeds. The pilot was a well known character, flying arotnd the

Yorkshire skies with 'DING' emblazoned on his aircraft. But his

passion for airbourne acrob`tics ended in disaster. Made frol wood

and cloth, with a machine gtn fixed to the wing. These are replhcas at

the Yorkshire air Museum and they show how basic the early aeroplanes

were. Testing new fabrics and designs right on the cutting edge.

They didn't have the test f`cilities that he had in later days. Ht was

very much a question of getting in and seeing if it would fly. It

certainly took some gaps William Ding was one such man, test pilot

for Blackburn aircraft manufacturers in Leeds. He was well known around

Yorkshire. This is a big shot of him just after a crash landing. Julian

Ding describes his late grandfather has an adrenaline junkie. It was the

second loop the loop that broke his wing. It certainly wasn't written

into the script for that dax 's flight. He was playing to the crowd.

It was one stunt too many. He crashed to the ground to thd horror

of respect haters Eric was there. Eric told his grandson that he used

the pestered the pilot for `go in his blame. As a new durable, to

witness something like that, and to witness the death of your hdro, it

made a massive impression. Looking at the spot where he died, Ding s

descendants of pride of his courage and skill. You not only through

planes, but built one out of scraps discarded at the Blackburn factory.

It was the white Falk. It'd be like going into a skip today and getting

a bin lid and a bicycle and making her the rally out of it. It was

fantastic but he did. Willi`m Rowland Ding, daring pilot, skilled

engineer, performer. The BBC has been working with

Imperial War Museums on the project. To be able to see all these features

in one place then go to the website. Tomorrow we're revisiting a story we

first brought you last Novelber about dozens of World War I love

letters that were found in `n attic in Huddersfield. Well, have a listen

to this. MUSIC.

BBC Radio Leeds asked two Wdst Yorkshire musicians to put the

letters to music and you can hear their song and the love story of

Henry Coulter and Lucy Towndnd on Look North tomorrow. They wdre the

biggest US Cop duo to hit otr screens in the 70s. Starskex and

Hutch became action pin`ups of the time with their good looks `nd fast

cars. Well, Paul Michael Gl`ser has sped into Yorkshire for his latest

role as Tivyer in the UK totr of Fiddler On The Roof. I met him at

Bradford Alhambra to talk about the highs and lows of the last 35 years.

You are best known for playhng star ski. That was so huge in thd 19 0s.

What are your most memorabld moments. You are asking me to

implement memory, which is ` mistake! It seems like was `

lifetime ago. Some were back there. We seem to have had a good time we

work very hard. We had a wonderful crew we had some good moments, but I

can't remember them! You ard back again playing in Fiddler On The

Roof. Why take this role? It is a great role. Playing the rold is a

very comfortable experience. I don't think I have had a row I have got

back, double incense Tarski. You are now 70, and the rule is just as

physically demanding. How do you keep up? If I could bottle ht I

would be a wealthy man. I don't know, I just do it. I do yet. You

have had highs in your caredrs, and personally he have had some real

lows. He lost daughter and wife to HIV. How do you get over solething

like that? We all have to mourn I think that in my case I had an

ongoing problem because I also had a son who was perfect, so I h`d to

really do battle with this concept of helplessness. As much as the loss

was life changing, learning what I learned was also life changhng. I

learned to see it as an opportunity. An opportunity to grow. To grow

spiritually, to grow in my heart, to grow as a person. I am in a place

that I most likely would not have been enough I hadn't gone through

that. He loves cricket, he loves

Yorkshire, so its only fitthng that Dickie Bird is set to be thd new

President of Yorkshire County Cricket Club. He played for the

county before becoming an international Test umpire, the

world's greatest and since his retirement has been to just about

every home match. He'll takd over from Geoffrey Boycott. Preshdent,

you don't get much higher than that! I feel very humble and very proud. I

am so proud. To me it is ond of the greatest honours that can bd

distilled or new. Yorkshire is the greatest club in the world. You were

the greatest umpire. Let's see a bit of UN action doing this! Do you ever

yearn for these days? That hs an old one! Pigeons come at the Ov`l. I got

head there. You have played, you have umpire, and MBE, will be, now

president! What next? I don't know. When I walk through `` what through

those gates at Headingley on my first practices with Yorkshhre, I

never dreamt of this day whdn I would become president of Yorkshire

County Cricket Club. It is `mazing. I have got to thank Colin Graves and

his board members for bestowing this great honour upon me, and also the

members of Yorkshire. The mdmbers of the salt of the earth and wd would

have no club it wasn't for the members. We wish you all thd very

best. It is your birthday tonight 's, Paul!

I got a onesie! Do you have had onesie, Dickey? What is a onesie?

It has been the wettest winter for 248 years in many parts of Dngland

and Wales. Last night we mentioned it was the

risk of brain or some hill snow but that risk has receded night.

Tomorrow will start grey bubble slowly brighten up. This is the

worrying weather feature, btt I think it will miss us to thd site.

We entered on a lovely note. There will be some showers moving into

western areas to make, but they will fizzle out. A rare thing tonight,

some frost. The sun will rise in the morning at 6:58am. A great start,

some fog in places, watch ott for the icy patches. Gradually, sky

should brighten. There is the risk of a few showers. Hopefully brighter

weather later, with temperatures coming in at around six or seven

degrees. That is the broadc`st. Why have we had all this rahn? The

discussion will continue after the programme. Good night!