I WAS interested to read (LET, March 22) that our local council is proposing to spend £200,000 on creating bus priority and pedestrian areas in Feilden Street/Cardwell Place.

One would have thought that this area is already congested by traffic without introducing more by having buses in the area.

The fact that there is a primary school and the college in the immediate area should be grounds for the reduction in traffic volume not an increase.

If this scheme is introduced, I assume that buses from the west of town that presently proceed along Bank Top, Whalley Banks and King Street to Mincing Lane will be diverted up Montague Street to turn right against the flow of traffic on what is the so-called inner relief road at a point where traffic is usually backed up from the traffic lights at the bottom of Montague Street.

Drivers will then travel along Feilden Street/Cardwell Place to rejoin Mincing Lane/Astley Gate at a point beyond the traffic lights at the top of King Street, again where traffic is often tailed back trying to get on the roof top car park.

This detour must surely impinge on bus schedules and begs and the question why?

The same article also stated the council was to spend £40,000 to hunt for a park and ride site.

It is to be hoped that this is not sited to the west of town if buses that service it have to make the journey as detailed above.

I would have thought that if the council is to encourage visitors to the town it should be encouraging direct and speedy access to the town not putting unnecessary obstacles in the path of bus operators by way of detours into already traffic congested areas.

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