HAVING abandoned its massive road building programme, the Government now want people to be environmentally aware, leave the car at home and travel by public transport.

But a lot more than words are needed to tempt people out of their vehicles.

For the motorist to have confidence in this sudden change of heart, he will require a much greater commitment to public transport 'from the top.'

So-called 'improvements' to Brownhill roundabout command millions, but there is no money to relieve the chronic travellers' blackspot of Blackburn Station. Contrast arriving in town by road along the beautifully landscaped Barbara Castle Way to arriving in the squalor of the station, virtually unchanged since the day it was built.

Government neglect of the rail system over the years is now expected to be rectified by private money (from who knows where).

If public money can be found so readily for improving a comparatively minor bottleneck like Brownhill roundabout, why can't some be found to improve the railways?

The Government rhetoric will not be convincing until this blot on the town's image is corrected and until public transport in general is given a high profile with the investment to match.

J T CULSHAW, (Friends of the Earth, Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley), Lovely Hall Lane, Salesbury.

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