WITH regard to the article in last week's Journal about Queen Street arches. It is understandable but tragic that they are now thought of as an eyesore.

To many people of Leigh, however, they are a constant reminder that the railway played a vital part in bringing prosperity to the area either by facilitating commerce and industry or giving people ready access to all parts of the North West and indeed the country.

If such a line through Leigh, Tyldesley, Worsley etc. existed it would be a God send to the many commuters as an alternative to the traffic choked roads. But that line, or should I say the track bed, still does exist virtually all the way from Leigh to the present Walkden station.

The remaining quarter of a mile (near Ellenbrook) to the Atherton line is easily reached by either another disused railway line or across a field, so let's get on reinstating the line.

There are problems in such a project but nothing remotely expensive as building a tram track through central Manchester, Salford Quays and out to Eccles.

What's good enough for the populations of north, east, central and south Manchester, who are well served by train or the new tram system (with more to come) is good enough for us. None of these areas are daft enough to swap their railways or trams for buses are they?

It is also worth noting that to the west of Tyldesley the existing track bed branches off and skirts heavily populated southern areas of Howe Bridge, Hindley Green and Hindley, and joins up the existing mineral railway line near Bickershaw Prison before going on to Wigan via Platt Bridge. The opportunities for vital park and ride stations and transport links for industry are endless across our "Lancashire Triangle" area. Let's have no more excuses Wigan councillors and the GMPT. Just get on with remedying one of the greatest injustices of the Beeching era with no more delay.

Mr G Blackburn

Hayman Avenue

Leigh