I AM absolutely appalled by County Councillor Richard Toon's ignorant and adverse comments attacking my views on so-called road and traffic calming measures (Letters, July 2) and can only come to the conclusion that he is in urgent need of 'driver education.'

His comments are tantamount to defaming my position both as an elected councillor in Great Harwood and as a professional driver-awareness consultant.

May I remind him that I am an independent councillor having been elected on clear issues and where the majority of people voted for common sense and not for some loony ideas which have contributed towards the sheer chaos and mayhem cluttering our roads of today - especially around Accrington?

This, not to save lives, but, in my view, to create as much havoc as possible, including the squandering of hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money without addressing the real problem - reckless, speeding, and careless drivers.

If he has any evidence in support of his adverse comments, may I invite him to attend a future meeting of the 'new' Hyndburn Council traffic review committee, where, no doubt, he may also become more enlightened.

I would also have expected a person of his standing to have perhaps consulted me prior to making such damning remarks in public but, having done so, I now ask him and as soon as possible please, to publish a full public apology in your Letters page.

COUN ADRIAN SHURMER, Lyndon Avenue, Great Harwood.

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