WE were all very shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Alex Pomfret, while cycling along Chorley New Road last Sunday, and wish to convey our sincere condolences to his family.

It must be pointed out, however, that deaths on Chorley New Road are becoming all too frequent.

About a year ago a motor cyclist died at the junction with Fall Birch Road. Six months later there was another death at the Beaumont Road traffic lights.

I was actually walking along Chorley New Road with my three-year-old son at the time of Alex Pomfret's accident and realise how vulnerable everyone using this road now is. Indeed, as Ray Walmsley, of the Lostock Residents Group, pointed out in your article, Lostock and Heaton residents have been highly anxious over the build-up of traffic along Chorley New Road and there have been a number of representations to the Council.

Having adjusted to the increase in traffic relating to Middlebrook, we now have a relentless proliferation of flats in the area without due concern on the infra structure such as roads, facilities, etc.

The junction between Regent Road and Chorley New Road is pathetically inadequate to cope with this degree of residential expansion, and Chorley New Road is now very congested.

As a Lostock resident whose views on the matter have been disregarded by Bolton Council, I feel that they should take some of the blame.

Mr M L Pantelides

Bolton