IF the people of Bolton want to shop, they must first consider whether they are pedestrians using public transport, or drivers using private cars.

If pedestrians, the only place to go is Wigan if on the M61 side of town, or Bury on the St Peters Way side of town. You can both travel in and out of Wigan and Bury with minimal traffic jams.

The Trafford Centre could also be a good solution, plenty of buses there and back.

Bolton must be a desperate solution, you can go in to town down the dedicated bus lanes, but would be better walking out -- no bus lanes out and only single file due to the bus lanes in.

Never try to travel to Middlebrook -- it will take you all day and you may not get home without a long walk to the nearest regular route.

If a driver, don't ever drive into Bolton. You will pay too much to park, be wheel clamped, or fined. Go instead to the Middlebrook complex, plenty of parking, it's free and most shops you need are there. If you have the patience to travel along the single file ring road, go to Bury catch a Metrolink and go into Manchester.

Bolton finally has a transport policy which will ultimately stop traffic from entering the town.The policy will block the main arteries into Bolton, it will end up with a grid-lock and full of polution from idling engines, which cannot move forward or backwards and just in time for all the schoolchildren to breathe in the noxious car fumes.

Bob Findlay

Wigan Road

Deane, Bolton