Wednesday 13 May 2015

Energy policy destroying our rural heritage

11:00am Thursday 14th August 2014

OUR wonderful national parks are a vital part of our rural heritage that need to be cherished.
I was, therefore, horrified to read that the Government had considered granting licences to drill for shale gas in our national parks.
Has this country gone barking mad?
One only has to look at the American drilling sites to see what an infernal mess is being inflicted on the landscape. America is also a giant continent in comparison to our tiny country. I very much doubt that America would allow drilling in its fine national parks.
We have leapt out of the frying pan and into the fire. Now that Didcot Power Station and others are gone, there is a predicted energy shortfall.
Hence, the rash dash for gas at all costs.
We need to take time out before making rash decisions.
Drilling for shale has the potential to destroy our beautiful countryside and pollute some aquifers.
At the moment we import very cheap American coal for much of our energy. However, this is soon to change as the coal power stations are closed or blown up.
Soon, our energy bills will shoot up to pay for new nuclear power stations. Frankly, our energy policy is a shambles.
Susan Thomas, Magdalen Road, Oxford

Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone's contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.

Send your Letter to the Editor: What do you think? We welcome letters from our readers on a wide variety of subjects and you can send us a letter for publication here

11:20am Monday 28th July 2014
What do you think? We welcome letters from our readers on a wide variety of subjects and you can send us a letter through the blue headline above.

Today’s letters

Hats off to all bus drivers

10:54am Wednesday 13th May 2015

STAGECOACH is inviting passengers to nominate their favourite driver.

Have your say

Green Party is the only one that can save NHS

10:53am Wednesday 13th May 2015

ON Wednesday April 22, the Oxford Mail published an article advocating an “independent and cost effective” NHS.

Have your say

Station lacks left luggage

10:52am Wednesday 13th May 2015

MY wife and I recently visited Oxford for the first time, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Have your say

It's time a full inquest was held into Dr Kelly's death

10:51am Wednesday 13th May 2015

DARE I be brave enough and ask that now we know Chilcot will not report until 2016/17/18/19 and on and on, would it be possible to quickly squeeze in a full coroner’s inquest into the very suspicious death of weapons inspector Dr David Kelly in 2003?