IN reply to Mrs M Mercer's suggestion that we may get used to the noise of the new motorway as she did living near the railway (Letters, June 24), with respect, the railway was already there when she chose to live there as was the A666 when we chose to live on this row.

However, we had no choice at all on the decision to build the motorway. Before it was buiilt, we were assured at a meeting that we would be having high wooden baffle boards all around the land at the back where our gardens are, that the noise would be minimal and that we wouldn't be able to see any traffic.

Something went wrong as the baffle dips for about 30 to 40 yards and we can see and hear all the traffic. The noise is like planes coming in to land. And we don't think we should have to learn to live with it. Our row of houses is surrounded now by roads front, back and sides.

The traffic at the front backs up the length of the row when the nearby lights are on red.

So, apart from the engine noises, we get the 'thump, thump' from the car radios which we can still hear even with double glazing.

We got in touch with our MP Mrs Janet Anderson, because we couldn't get anyone to come to see what we were complaining about.

However, recently, a man came from the Highways Agency and he saw for himself what we were complaining about.

He listened to our arguments, agreed that the land involved was garden and not allotments and said he would try to get something done. So now we just have to wait and see and most of all hope something can be done for us.

D BLACKWELL, Blackburn Road, Darwen.

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