I HAVE just read your article about the closure of Rumworth Bridge and Andrew Morgan's letter (July 1).

As a resident of Lostock, I believe not all views are being considered. At the moment it appears that only a few are being heard and not everyone has the same opinion. Living on the Glengarth Drive side of Rumworth Bridge, I feel there are certain issues of which people, in particular the council, are either unaware, or choosing to ignore.

Where has all of this traffic on Junction Road West suddenly come from? Well, it should be remembered that, prior to the closure of Rumworth Bridge, most of the traffic in the area, and particularly from Westhoughton, used Glengarth Drive as a "cut through". This is not only a danger to the local residents, but also to the children using the road to attend the local primary school.

Glengarth Drive is a narrow, winding road with a number of blind bends. It was built as an access road to the local estate, not to support the ever increasing volume of traffic from Westhoughton. One of the blind bends is very near to where the children come out of school. Indeed, a previous group concerned about the safety on the road discovered that it was originally built as a cul-de-sac and not as a through road! Before the closure of the bridge, traffic regularly travelled along the road at speed, mounted the pavement, or caused accidents, squealing around the bends as speeding drivers struggled to control their cars. Only tonight there were tyre skid marks by the school entrance.

If the bridge is reopened, the whole community will not share the traffic, as Cllr Morgan would like, but most will revert back to Glegarth Drive as this is the easier route.

Yes, as stated in your report, the area is quieter and it may be inconvenient to those who now have a detour. But, more importantly, it is safer, and it is the safety of the children in the area and those attending the local school which should not be put at risk in the quest for a faster, more convenient route.

All views should be considered and the council must now use this opportunity to do something about the danger. Ideally, many of us would like the bridge to remain closed, that way the large volume of speeding traffic cutting through can no longer do this. However, at the very least, traffic calming measures are needed for the whole area, making Glengarth Drive an inconvenient route.

J Pearson

Bryantsfield

Lostock

Bolton