This week's readers' letter: Doncaster has so much more to offer

I was invited by my daughter and two grandchildren to visit Yorkshire Wildlife Park

I was taken aback by the sheer size of the park, the very sensitive layout of the individual accommodation for the many different species and the care shown by the staff there with the animals, gardens and other facilities.

The several car parks were well filled and the whole area was alive with squeals of enjoyment from numerous family groups (it was school holidays).

The only slight problem was that, whilst the crowds basked in the sweltering heat, some of the animals preferred the shade of their trees or shelters available to them.

Even so they seemed content with life in their spacious homes.

The park is rightly enquiring an excellent name for itself and we should all be extremely grateful to the many people responsible for its existence and design and the good use of the land available plus the easy access from the motorway network.

It was good to hear people who had come from other areas of Yorkshire and beyond singing the praises of the park.

The sound of trains on the nearby ECML and the occasional roar of aircraft using Doncaster Airport is a reminder that Doncaster has much more to offer to the whole of the region, particularly all parts of Yorkshire, from the possibility of a rail link to and from the ECML and the airport.

I am aware that Doncaster Chamber of Trade, Mayor Ros Jones and DMBC have been pushing hard for this rail link but, there has been little, if any support from Ed Miliband and the South Yorkshire Mayor whose constituents have most to gain from this project.

Motorway links from all corners of the region give relatively easy access to the area and the rail link is vital to secure the future prosperity of Yorkshire and the Freeports at Hull, Grimsby etc.

Please help to raise the standing of this project to ensure that the area does not lose out altogether to Leeds.

Ron Firth,

Campsall