SIR: I write to add my name to the growing number of residents who are absolutely horrified at what has been done to "improve" Halliwell Road, Bolton.

I, too, was totally unaware of what was happening until they started to dig a hole outside my house. Since that time I have had a car hit one of the bay protrusions and land up in the front wall of my house, fortunately with no serious damage. But one day there will be a serious accident with perhaps a loss of life. The parking bays have narrowed the road so much that cars cannot pass parked vehicles without going over the central reservation. Trying to get out of a side street on to Halliwell Road is a very perilous manoeuvre, as you cannot see for cars parked in the "bays".

I have been told that the alterations were carried out a result of and I quote "a stress alleviation study" undertaken on behalf of the Local Authority. Well, all I can say is that we will need stress counselling if something is not done soon to correct the chaos that is on the road every day.

I can only agree with correspondents that, as a resident of a Halliwell Conservation Area, I am appalled that flags have been removed and replaced with tarmac. It is an eyesore and has spoiled what once was a very nice place to live in.

?Mrs M Fletcher,

Halliwell Road,

Bolton.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.