I NOTE with some dismay the article on the disabled access to Blackrod Rail Station, "too costly".

It is no wonder that it is too costly.

The funding was available 12 years ago, but the vacillation of the PTE, the failure to provide a suitable bus service ie 127 route to and from the southern part of Blackrod, beggars belief. The vacillation by the PTE is renowned. The first station you stop at in Greater Manchester -- Preston Manchester Line -- has no disabled access on the Manchester platform. The residents of Blackrod pay the precept like everybody else, but get very little to show for it. We at Blackrod know that, during the last 15 years, funding was available on two occasions, but spent on other items, to the detriment of Blackrod.

At the last meeting of the West Area Transport Advisory Committee, which I attended in October 2002, I raised the question about transport in Blackrod, in particular on the 127 route. A bright spark who said he can list all the bus times failed to address the fact that they (PTE) have done what Adolph Hitler failed to do during the war, isolated parts of Blackrod, ie Sunday service on Bank Holidays. Thus Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, no bus service from south Blackrod to Bolton, Middlebrook or Westhoughton, another further example of how Blackrod is left out.

Even a few years ago, when half-price shopping trips provided at Christmas in Bolton area failed to cover Westhoughton or Blackrod, was it because they did not consider Westhoughton and Blackrod part of the borough? If so, will it be possible to transfer us back in to Lancashire proper, either with Chorley, if not Lancashire, then Wigan, Greater Manchester.

Is it no wonder, besides my problem of deafness, I have become disillusioned with the transport provision for Blackrod, that I have retired from local politics?

John Monaghan (Hon Alderman)

(Ex Blackrod Ward

Councillor for 22 years)

The Cheethams

Blackrod