WE read with interest the article in the Bury Times (Sept 13) regarding national Walk to School Week, and noted the support the council offered to this worthy project.

Fortunately we live close enough to our children's primary school for them to be able to walk there, as do two-thirds of their classmates. Unfortunately their school is St Paul's in Ramsbottom, which has been on the LEA's closure list but has now thankfully won a well-deserved reprieve.

The LEA, supported by the council executive, planned to send the St Paul's children to St Andrew's on Bolton Street, a mile away. This would be too far for our children to walk so the only alternative would be to ignore the council's advice, join the "school run", and add to the traffic chaos along Bolton Street.

Perhaps the councillors and LEA officials who are so supportive of this national Walk to School initiative should be grateful to the St Paul's campaigners for helping them to avoid the appearance of paying lip service to this laudable scheme, while at the same time the LEA attempts to close needed schools and force parents to drive their children to schools further away.

NEIL and HELEN TOPPING.

Bury New Road,

Ramsbottom.