FOR quite some time I have been convinced that motorists in Lancashire have been persecuted by Lancashire Police owing to there being approximately three times as many Gatsos located in Lancashire as most other counties. That means motorists in Lancs have three times more chance of being caught by a Gatso.

For some years I also had the impression that in Lancashire there was a zero tolerance policy i.e. drivers were being ticketed for speeding under the 35mph, which I am told by the Department of Transport Road Safety Division is the minimum speed at which a driver should receive a ticket.

I have read in 'letters to the editor' of drivers with clean driving licences for many years being ticketed for 33 or 34mph

Nobody minds the police enforcing speed limits so long as it is done fairly on a national basis.

Certainly it looks very much like motorists in Lancashire are being persecuted by 213 cameras with a promise on the website that this figure will increase to 320 by March 2004.

It looks as though Lancashire has now been told not to be so harsh on drivers since the speeds at which you will receive a ticket are now quite clearly displayed on the website for Lancashire Partnerships for Road Safety.

I do hope that some of the people who were unfairly treated are able to receive a refund and have the points taken off their licences.

R BARBER (Mr), Grisedale Drive, Burnley.