I WRITE in response to your article on February 10 regarding a railway station at Carr Mill, and your reader's query in last week's issue.

The area now occupied by the vehicle service station and United Footwear on Carr Mill Road was, more than 40 years ago, used as a cattle market. Located behind this was a railway halt, for the transport of cattle to and from the market.

Even earlier, before the East Lancs Road was built in the 1930s, there was also an adjacent platform for access to the reservoir with its amusements and narrow gauge railway.

In the early years of the century this was a popular day out for the people of St Helens; part of the narrow gauge railway track is still in evidence on the west bank.

This was countryside at the time, with very little residential property. The assertion of the self-styled local campaigner that a railway station at Carr Mill will replace a facility that we enjoyed in the past is, plainly ridiculous.

As for improving road conditions, the result of a station on this already-congested site will only increase traffic and parking in the locality. It's a pity that the council did not consult local residents, before coming to agreement with Merseytravel.

R. Pawley, Carr Mill Road, Haresfinch.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.