Recently you published two articles on the bus lane on Preston Old Road, Blackburn. The first noted that although all the paint had been used in preparing this lane, the signage had been produced incorrectly thus making the bus lane out of order before it opened ie in use from 7.30am to 6am. It should have read from 7.30 to 9am.

Currently we have people driving in the centre of the road not knowing the bus lane is not in use yet, and have had many near misses where this lane suddenly ends.

This new bus lane is barely wide enough to accommodate a bus safely, the car lanes have been narrowed to a dangerous width, and this road does not have traffic problems apart from a couple of hours on weekdays.

Your second report highlights that residents will appeal to the local goverment ombudsman as their protests are being ignored. This does not surprise me as this department has a history of doing what they want regardless of any residents’ concerns.

You quote that council bosses have ‘bent over backwards’ to accommodate residents’ requests. I would like to know what they were, as I do not recall seeing any notification that a bus lane was needed or planned. Alan Cottam states the residents were consulted and they have correspondence going back and forth. Let’s see this.

We then get to the real core of cycle and bus lanes: the council has to create bus lanes to avoid cuts in government funding reg-ardless of whether it is needed or cost-effective.

Your final paragraph says it all.A bus lane for seven buses, weekdays only, and one and a half hours each day.

Does not sound a well thought-out plan. Geoffrey Eddleston (via email).