Stuart Chapman and his colleagues at the anti-congestion charge campaign provide a superb illustration of the reason why referendums have no place in the British political system. "Road charge fight goes to town hall" (January 4).

The reason why this is so is that, as with all open-ended questions, there is no guarantee that the answers which are received will be answers to the question which was asked. In this instance, every muttonhead, every petrolhead, and anybody with a grudge or a grievance against the council, plus anybody else who just feels like shafting the politicians for free, will have a golden opportunity to express their protest and demonstrate their hostility.

It certainly does not prove that an elected executive mayor would be the best system of local government for Bolton. No doubt Mr Chapman is sincere in his belief that an elected mayor would be an effective means of preventing the introduction of congestion charging, but there is no evidence whatever that this would be so. Of the twelve UK local authorities who opted for an elected Mayor, there are currently six in which there is an active campaign to rescind the provision.

A political acquaintance in one such authority said to me "If you are thinking of going for an elected Mayor, I have one word of advice. Don't! We've got one and there is no way you can keep tabs on the blighter . . ." In the interests of truthfulness, I should perhaps add that "blighter" was not the precise word he used.

Peter Johnston, Kendal Road, Bolton