'The council won't cut down York's Parliament Street trees'

It would be akin to environmental vandalism. We already know the horrendous stories in Plymouth and Sheffield.

Urban trees are critical for improving mental and physical health, for improving air quality, for cooling effects at street level (and in buildings) as our climate increasingly heats up, for mediating noise.

Even in winter they reduce wind and help buildings avoid losing heat. They support biodiversity even in the midst of the city.

York fares generally well in the Tree Equity Score. Check out your locality’s score online. It is planting York’s Community Woodland spanning 78 hectares and within easy walking distance of those living in Acomb, Chapelfields and Knapton.

Why would the council spoil so much of that good work through a piece of environmental vandalism? Future generations would look back and be incredulous we could take such decisions.

Richard Bridge, Holgate Road, York

...I have also noted the terrible state of Parliament Street. The flagstones are cracked and uneven leading to the likelihood of accidents through tripping.

However, cutting down the trees will not help. Stopping the continual parking-up of heavy construction vehicles for various markets would be a much more likely solution.

Audrey Willits, Dunnington

Water firms are ‘a disgrace’

It boggles my mind as to how Liv Garfield, the boss of Severn Trent, can justify getting £3.2 million in pay bonuses last year when the amount of sewage spills by the company rose by a third.

There were 60,000 sewage spills from Severn Trent last year.

The damage to the environment - to the wildlife, the ecosystem, the health of those wanting to go wild swimming - is enormous, yet she still gets a bonus.

Over the course of the last four years she has earned a total of £13 million while at the same time polluting the rivers in the UK.

It is time that the Government stepped in and for once took an interest in the environment and the damage that is being done by the water companies: so far it is only lip service.

The water companies in the UK are a disgrace, yet the bosses still seem to rake in enormous bonuses and salaries. Why?

Lynette Mills, Fishergate, York

Where are the Taliban?

Afghanistan has horrendous flooding problems, with people losing everything and in some cases being swept to their deaths.

On the newsreels there is no sign whatsoever of the Taliban, however. I wonder where they are? Have they run for the hills, keeping out of the way till it all subsides?

The Taliban need to start running the country they wanted so badly. Start rescue missions and build hospital facilities for your people. Not shooting into the air. You are supposed to be a government. Start acting like one.

M Horsman, Moorland Road, York