I AGREE entirely with K Jackson that loutish behaviour on trains (some, though not all, of which is alcohol-fuelled) is a big problem.

I'm not entirely convinced, however, that stopping alcohol sales on trains would achieve very much.

When I travelled regularly on trains, the problem was caused by the yobs already being drunk when they got on.

Given the open access to platforms and large numbers of passengers on a typical long-distance train, it would be difficult and expensive to put a stop to this.

GNER won't even tell people to stop using bleeping mobile phones and hissing Walkmans in the so-called "quiet carriage" (in response to one complaint letter, they even admitted to a semi-official policy to that effect), so the chance of them being able to do anything much about more serious antisocial behaviour has to be pretty near zero.

In contrast, the captains of civil airliners can and do refuse boarding to drunken yobs.

The problem of yobs on trains is another reason why York needs to reduce its dependence on the railway for long distance passenger transport into and out of the city.

Scheduled air services to London from Elvington or Linton-on-Ouse would be a welcome start, and I would urge York's business and tourism bosses to work to make that happen.

Leo Enticknap,

Ingram House,

Bootham,

York.

Updated: 10:59 Wednesday, November 16, 2005