I AM afraid Eric Leaver is his usual reactionary self, whinging on about Lancashire County Council's bike loans (LET, July 17).

The fact is that employers heavily subsidise their car-borne staff when they provide free car parking -- not a cheap commodity -- and give mileage rates which we all know can be highly profitable.

Not to mention company cars, of course, worth a lot more than mere bike loans! Indeed, I wonder what perks Mr Leaver himself enjoys at the Lancashire Evening Telegraph?

In addition to these employer costs, we all pay the price of too many people driving at peak times: congestion and demands for ever more new roads.

This is why responsible companies and local authorities are keen to persuade people to walk or cycle, it saves them and ratepayers a lot of money. And there are obvious environmental and health benefits, too.

In fact, isn't it time that your newspaper, as a responsible employer, itself followed the county council's example and developed a green travel scheme for its own staff?

The last time I visited your offices the car park, provided free for the lucky ones, was overflowing, leaving other employees to abuse Morrison's hospitality or resort to on-street parking. All this right next door to the bus and rail stations!

And, of course, there was absolutely nowhere for staff to park a bike.

ROBIN FIELD (Cycling

Campaign for East Lancashire), Livingstone Road, Blackburn.