HOW interesting to see the senior engineer at the county's transportation partnership telling us that 'rat runs' as a result of the impending road works will 'spread themselves across all routes.'

I have every sympathy with Ken Hanns from Fort Royal Hill and agree that the roadworks will lead to increased traffic in the Wyld's Lane area. That this will mainly impact on streets not designed for anything like the current volume of traffic seems to be of little concern to either city or county councillors or officers. Clearly, many of the streets in the Wyld's Lane area are overloaded with traffic. It is not only the traffic that is a problem it is the attendant difficulties of pollution and damage to the environment (and our houses) that goes with it.

In Park Street, we have large numbers of vehicles a day using the street. There are frequently times when one is fearful of crossing.

During the day, large lorries, up to 38 tonnes, often get stuck either trying to turn into a street that, for a third of its length, is only 14 ft wide - and that doesn't take into account parked vehicles.

If they successfully negotiate getting into the street then they often get stuck on the Canal Bridge.

Drivers using the pavement have worn it down to the point where it is not safe - and in any case it is only some three feet wide.

No matter how good the drivers, there are simply to many of them. What is needed is a strategy for traffic management in the Wyld's Lane area. And if councillors and officers were serious then that is what they would do.

NIGEL LEACH,

Park Street, Worcester.