World book day

Sir, Mr. Beckett called for books to be given as gifts on St George's Day (letter, 15 April), and I couldn't agree more. He may be interested to learn that St George's Day has another name – World Book Day – as designated by Unesco.

The book trade in recent years has chosen to hold World Book Day on a date that does not clash with schools' Easter holidays, to maximise the market opportunity to publicise books to children (who have been the focus of many of the events run since 1997). The date of the UK event is a topic of debate and review, so at some future point a World Book Day event in Britain may join its sister events around the world to be held on St George's Day, as Mr. Beckett proposed and Unesco instigated.

CHRISTOPHER NORRIS

Stains, Middx

Mersey cyclists

Sir, you highlight (report, April 20; letters, April 21) the obstacles faced by cyclists travelling on trains.

On Merseyside we are much more environmentally friendly than the train operators that you featured as we try to provide the public with a single integrated transport network accessible to all. As part of this goal, Mersey rail Electrics allows cycles on all trains at any time and for no extra charge. It is the only network in England to do so. Mersey travel also makes no charge for cycles taken on our ferries.

While we accept that many people may choose or need to travel by car, we are not just committed to providing affordable and viable alternatives but we actively promote their use.

Our approach is not just good for the environment but a positive boost for the fitness levels of our local population. Let us hope that the private train operators outside Mersey-side can find ways to match our own innovative, green and healthy solution.

NEIL SCALES

Chief Executive, Mersey travel

Confidence in city academies

Sir, we are responsible for nine open city academies and the creation of a further 27. We are developing groups of academies and therefore require continuing financial sponsorship, often as a result of fundraising programmes. The recent reports suggesting that the programme may be damaged by a lack of sponsors in the future do not reflect the position.

We are deeply committed to the programme in which we and our organisations have all voluntarily become engaged. Nobody has required us to do it. We have been motivated by a strong desire to help some of the most disadvantaged children in the country. We are creating academies to help to raise confidence and attainment in some of the most deprived and needy areas.

We welcome the opportunity to use our business skills and international experience in such a worthwhile enterprise. We have put our reputations, experience and commitment behind an education policy which is beginning to transform lives. The academies programme builds on the city technology colleges created over a decade ago, which were attacked in their early days but which are now almost universally regarded as a success, on their own and as beacons in their communities. We will con­tinue to develop new academies and to support our existing ones despite the sniping at the edges, which is trying to denigrate this programme.

Concerns about academies are being eliminated by -the experience of new schools and new approaches. Our battle is not being fought in news­papers, on radio or television; but is being won in classrooms. Success takes time but we are seeing encouraging signs from Ofsted reports.

Our commitment remains strong and we are confident that we will continue to find others who wish to join us in one of the most exciting educa­tional enterprises ever implemented in this country.

REV STEVE CHALKE Founder Oasis Trust SIR EWAN HARPER Chief Executive, United Learning Trust LORD HARRIS OF PECKHAM LUCY HELLER Managing Director, Ark Education

SIR KEVIN SATCHWELL Headmaster Thomas Telford School SIR PETER VARDY Chairman Emmanuel Schools Foundation