YOUR columns recently carried a plea for the retention of Darwen Bus Station on its present site.

Correct and eloquent, it, alas, omitted some of the drawbacks, here itemised with suggested remedies.

1. Darwen Valley is deep and damp, the majority of passengers are elderly, shelters should shelter: the present apologies do not!

2. Cheek by jowl with the busy A666, bus station traffic should not inhibit that of the main road, but does, the entrance is throttled by two factors: a. A fags and toffee "kiosk," which should be sensitively moved elsewhere and b. Parking of the unmanned and un-moving; buses in this state should be found another park.

3. Thousands of pedestrians cross the A666 at some risk, all for lack of a mail box on the bus station.

All in all, the bus station is better provided than the Boulevard: doesn't need daft needless ironmongery. It just needs simply and sensibly equipping for trade and transport, its prime function.

JOHN A STIPTON, Avondale Mews, Darwen.