REGARDING Eric Leaver's 'It Makes Me Laugh' remarks (LET, May 23), as a trader in Higher Church Street, Blackburn, with business premises yards from the traffic lights, I see clearly the council's point on keeping the lights working at the junction of Church Street and Darwen Street.

The lights serve a particularly useful purpose in slowing down oncoming traffic considerably from the direction of Astley Gate.

This measure does enable pedestrians to cross, not just at the lights but at random points in Higher Church Street.

Although Church Street will soon be a pedestrian area, it is important to keep these lights in situ for the safety of pedestrian traffic.

JOHN VAUGHAN, Blackburn Record Exchange, Higher Church Street, Blackburn.