SIR - Mr P Demmin reminds us (Letters, January 30) of the amount we pay in road fund tax so why he asks are the roads in such a state.

The roads act of 1920 decreed all monies collected from vehicle licences would be directed into a road fund for the maintenance and advancement of public road in their islands.

It was all fine at first, until 1926 when the Chancellor of the Exchequer, one Winston Spencer Churchill, raided the fund.

The useful lump sum of £7 million was liberated for other purposes and he redefined the rules by henceforth retaining one-third of the net annual proceeds of the road fund for the exchequer itself and, by 1936, the road funds right to an exclusive call on any of the licence monies was terminated.

With regards to the pot-holes I fear for those on two wheels, and as for poking tarmac into holes, one good frost and it will all be back out.

D G F JONES, Worcester.