I READ with astonishment your report about the Caton cycleway decision.

You state Pat Quinton told the committee meeting, "I was elected on a Lib Dem ticket - not to represent local people." Can anybody believe any councillor would make that statement?

What I did say was: "I was elected on a Lib Dem ticket" and went on to say that in all our election literature we made it quite clear that we believe people should use their cars less, public transport needs to be improved and cycle ways need to be provided and made safe to encourage the use for commuters.

Our group on the council has consistently encouraged this policy both at county and city level. A majority of residents of Caton have voted for me since 1987 knowing my views on this matter.

It would need a lot of people to come back to me to change my view. They have not done so! While there has been a massive petition signed by people in the last month from various areas, there have been only eight letters over the last two years, four of those from Caton residents. Mr Woodhouse, in his letter suggests I was not reaching the people and should have put up posters about the cycleway. I have to say there have been other important issues affecting Caton Ward over the last two years. My Feb '99 FOCUS newsletter included information on the district wide Local Plan, winter gritting, rural bus services, the axed fire engine, sporting facilities in the Lune Valley and in February 2000, updates on some of these matters plus the Lancaster Bus Station, the low increase in pensions and the threat to small post offices. We included articles with details of the cycleway plans in both of these issues.

I would have thought putting these leaflets through every door (1450) in the Caton Ward was as a good way as any of reaching the people.

If those people who did not vote for me and do not support the views I put forward do not wish to read the information I give, that is their problem, not mine.

Cllr Pat Quinton

Liberal Democrat

Caton Ward

We apologise if we got it wrong, obviously the public and councillors who were at the meeting and reported this to us, all misunderstood/misheard what you said. But, as you admit, there's been a massive petition organised recently maybe the people in your ward expect you to do something about it now - Ed.