YOUR "Brassed-off Resident" (Letters, November 23) writes to bemoan the new Home Zone at Victoria estate in Whitefield.

However, at a time when many of your correspondents are expressing concern about speeding on local roads, readers should note that residents themselves have been the major dynamic in developing this project, which will deliver a greater priority in use of the road space to pedestrians and cyclists.

In 2001 Bury Council was successful in securing £900,000 for a Home Zone on the Victoria estate. Home Zones are residential streets in which the road space is shared between drivers and other road users, with the wider needs of residents in mind.

The evolution of this Home Zone has taken place over two years and the process has involved constant consultation with residents. In fact, the whole estate was consulted on a number of occasions and the whole estate was invited to vote for which areas should be treated and what measures should be introduced. As a result, the scheme was changed considerably from the one we originally submitted to the Department for Transport.

Our engineer regularly attended residents' association meetings and up-date newsletters were distributed to the whole estate. When the final designs were drawn up everyone in the properties affected or included within the scheme received a personal visit to ensure they were happy and that they were aware of the scheme.

COUNCILLOR

MIKE CONNOLLY,

Executive member for

environment and transport.