REGARDING recent articles on the state of our highways, holes in the road and gritting.

The remedy put forward by councils is to set up repair patrols for the holes problem. And we are told it would mean an increase of around £6.50 in council tax to improve gritting services.

At a cost of £500,000 a year, the repair patrols will be out and about in the county looking for highway surface faults to repair them before anyone has a chance to injure themselves.

But the suggestion that holes will be spotted and repaired before anyone has an accident is sheer fantasy. With so many holes to choose from, the accident-cum-compensation brigade will have a field day beating the repair patrols to the punch.

What strikes me about the trips and slips claims saga is the apparent ease with which so many victims can claim, and get, compensation from councils.

Surely, anyone claiming to have been injured must produce evidence. And without a bona fide witness, how can anyone justifiably claim compensation?

As for gritting, surely the council has a duty to ensure that certain roads are free from snow and ice at all times?

All main roads, bus routes and all roads around hospitals, ambulance stations, fire stations, should be gritted as a matter or urgency as soon as such action is called for.

It would be interesting to learn how much of the winter maintenance budget is set aside for gritting purposes and whether, if gritting is not required over a winter period, this amount is carried forward and added to the following winter's budget.

F EASTHAM, Preston Old Road, Cherry Tree, Blackburn.