STEWART Pimbley's article on traffic-calming (LET, April 23) suggests that somebody is not giving us a straight story.

Chief executive Mike Chambers, claims that all traffic calming is done with the approval of the police. But in your report, Supt Eddie Walsh says it is not ultimately their decision.

Mr Chambers has also told me that all traffic calming is done at the request of householders on the street concerned.

In your report, Supt Wendy Walker says the police are doing their best to answer the questions Adrian Shurmer and I have put to them. They have had notice of the questions since November last year and have studiously ignored my not infrequent requests to answer them.

After four months, Supt Walker came to see me on March 11. She offered not one answer and still has not seven weeks later.

Why? These are questions about traffic calming, not quantum physics.

Have we now reached the joint council and police state where the public are just fodder to stump up cash to pay for a bunch of opinionated bullies?

I have no wish to embarrass the police, whom I normally hold in an extremely high regard and deep respect.

But over the matter of traffic calming they have shown themselves to be deliberately unhelpful and evasive.

Will somebody please get a grip of the out-of-control traffic-calming programme and call the council and police to public account?

If the rest of local government behaves in the same way, the future is extremely bleak.

PHILIP CONGDON, Hindle Fold Lane, Great Harwood.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.