WHEN I was a little girl in the 1950s, my dad won many a bet in the local pubs with this piece of information.

Starting at the Town Hall Square, it is impossible to get out of Bolton without going under or over a bridge.

This is still true today (try it!). Most of these bridges are connected to the railways, so how long before Bolton is cut off from the outside world?

These bridges were old 50 years ago, so why the shock and outrage because they are now beginning to crumble under today's heavy road traffic?

Why have the Council just started to check the safety of these relics of the bygone Steam Age?

What's the betting that Railtrack are in for a hefty cash grant (tax payers' cash, of course) from the Government to fix these bridges, without Railtrack having to dip into their profits?

Just a thought -- why not close a few bridges throughout the country, bring the traffic to a near standstill and I bet the people will demand the Government give Railtrack the money to do something about these bridges. It's very subtle, but I bet it would work!

Miss Lynne Lowe, Athlone Avenue,

Oldhams Estate, Astley Bridge, Bolton