I WOULD like to thank the Green Party's Cllr Jon Barry for clarifying the Green Party's views on the Western Bypass (or any bypass for that matter) and also for clearing up my misunderstanding of the Green Party's policy toward the motor vehicle.

However, I must take issue with Cllr Barry on one or two matters;

1.I wrote my letter as Richard Newman-Thompson, not as a representative of the Labour Party, although Cllr Barry is right to point out I am a Labour Party member and a former city councillor. I have no idea whether my views are official Labour Party policy -- I thought I was simply putting my own point of view. It seems typical of the Green Party's double standards to try and score a few cheap party political points.

2.If Cllr Barry's views represent official Green Party policy I am amazed that they have embraced the internal combustion engine with the enthusiasm evident in his letter.

Actually, I am not amazed, I am disappointed that the Green Party could not at least be more honest about their attitude to cars. 'We only want to reduce car use by 10 per cent' may well be a policy designed not to scare the electorate but is hardly what they really believe.

3.On the issue of the Western by-pass Cllr Barry had the opportunity to address the main issue and failed.

There are real economic opportunities available with industrial land at Heysham and the continuing development of these site could very well bring jobs and money into the district.

Indeed, one of the sites that would be opened up by the Western by-pass for economic development would be the brown-field site at Lune Mills.

The local councillors for that ward may well want to reflect on the extra jobs and money that could benefit what is one of the more deprived wards in the district. What is the ward? Castle Ward -- who is the local councillors? Cllr Jon Barry.

Richard Newman-Thompson

Prospect Street

Lancaster