FURTHER to your article “Taking hats off to stop petrol station thieves” (Wednesday September 2) I would like to make the following comment:- Firstly, with regard to the paragraph: PC Vernon said: “Hopefully, it will also have a knock-on effect in reducing other crimes as criminals in stolen cars with false number plates will be less likely to want to use these stations because they know they will end up on CCTV. It means they can’t hide any more.”

How naive can you get? Garages have had CCTV for years and it is a legal requirement to display signage that CCTV is in operation.

Secondly, as a Westhoughton motorcyclist who wears a flip front helmet where my whole face can be seen, I cannot see the point in removing my helmet to fuel my motorcycle. Apart from the inconvenience caused, I also need to find some where safe to place my helmet. Should petrol get on to the fabric parts of my helmet it will weaken the fabric, especially any stitching. I have known petrol to dissolve the stitching in gloves. I, for one, am not prepared to take a risk with a piece of safety equipment which may one day be needed to save my life.

With this is in mind I will no longer refuel my motorcycle in Westhoughton, or any of the other vehicles in the household. With two cars as well as motorcycles this will equate to a loss of business to the local petrol stations of approximately £60 a week. Doing this will cause no inconvenience to myself or other members of the household as we will fuel up before coming back in to the borough.

Anything including helmets, that fully covers the face I can understand the security need to remove them, but I see this as pure discrimination with no added value. These will be the thoughts of many motorcyclists in the Bolton West area.

A J Rushton Bolton