STATISTICS which reveal a large number of hit and run accidents on Bolton roads make worrying reading.

More than 950 drivers simply sped away from the scene last year.

This, in a town which has a great many decent and law-abiding citizens, shows a mind-boggling degree of selfishness and a disgusting lack of human decency.

On three occasions motorists did not stop to help in situations which proved fatal.

Local traffic police, noting that there has been a five per cent increase in incidents of this kind, have alerted the clerk to the Bolton magistrates with a view to prompting discussion on the levels of fines imposed for this serious offence.

It is only right that there should be severe penalties for motorists who put their own interests above those of other drivers, passengers and pedestrians left injured or dying at the roadside.

Unfortunately, the story does not always end when the magistrates have made their decisions.

Another story in tonight's issue records the fact that Bolton offenders owe nearly one million pounds in unpaid fines.

Measures

This is a staggering amount of money and shows that tough measures are clearly needed if these "debts to society" are to be prised out of people who do their best to avoid paying.

The appointment of three new civilian enforcement officers and additional fines courts are to be welcomed.

It is surely unacceptable that only 54p in the pound was collected last year from fines imposed at Bolton's seven magistrates' courts.

Mr Alex Carlos, Bolton's Clerk to the Justices, is right to point out that magistrates have the power to send non-payers to jail as a last resort.

He says the threat of a short jail sentence usually makes non-payers find that they do have the funds after all.

No doubt that is so.

Those who play the system, however, waste a lot of valuable time and resources by taking things to the brink -- well aware that many magistrates see no point in filling the nation's prisons with minor offenders.

Jailing poverty-stricken single mothers is often a difficult thing for magistrates to contemplate.

It is to be hoped that the new campaign will persuade more of the courts' "clients" that paying up is the sensible thing to do.