Letters, contributions and comments sent in to the Advertiser this week.

'Amazing' ambulance staff

Paul Cooper, Becontree, writes:

London Ambulance Service has recently been rated Good overall but Requires Improvement in some areas by the Care Quality Commission, as reported on the Post's website.

In many key measures (effective, caring, responsive and well-led) it's rated Good but is falling down on a few crucial but fixable points.

Importantly, it seems to suggest that front-line ambulance staff numbers were adequate and staff were well trained and managed.

Therefore, we should not be alarmed because it seems, although important, the problems can be fixed quite quickly.

A quick injection of time and energy to stock take medicine and identify and replace out of date stock should not be problematic - likewise with equipment.

Storing medicine and securing vehicles seems to suggest more care and attention is needed. And a better rota system surely cannot be beyond the wit of the service.

If each area tasked someone with identifying the relevant issues to their area and set about addressing these it would bump all areas up to Good.

With the immense pressures in London - and without further investment - I think we owe the amazing women and men working in this service a huge show of appreciation.

Rail devolution

Unmesh Desai, London Assembly Member for City & East, writes:

Local people have quite rightly lost patience with continuous rail fare hikes, particularly when many have seen little to no improvement of their services.

The burden on peoples' pockets could surely be lessened, and services improved, if privately operated metro services are devolved into the more capable hands of TfL.

You need only to look at City Hall's decision to freeze TfL fares for the fourth-year running to know rail devolution could make life that little bit more affordable. City Hall does not have power to freeze fares on travelcards, because those prices have to be set in agreement with train operating companies and the government.

By the end of 2012, this freeze will have saved each London household on average £200, providing a helping hand to those hit by the ever-rising costs of living and the lasting impacts of chronic austerity.