Reader's letter

I enjoyed my recent visit to York's Railway Museum but was alarmed to learn about a possible asbestos threat to which the public and museum employees may be exposed.

Your disturbing article in the Evening Press (March 24) begs certain questions.

Why are the seven remaining locomotives not clearly marked as containing asbestos? Why are people not being warned of the potential risk of dust leakage? I'm astonished that the Health and Safety Executive has approved a policy of only stripping one loco every year of this dreadful stuff.

What about the risks during the next few years of inhaling escaping dust?

Since it takes many years for the harmful effects of asbestos to show, any subsequent illnesses might mean that no-one is held accountable. This seems very wrong in this supposed Blairite climate of preventative action to reduce the burden on the NHS.

And why is there no mention of the historical significance of asbestos insulation used to lag the steam boilers? Could this be a convenient omission... or a conspiracy of silence?

Ian White,

Orchard Park Road,

York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.