Sir.-With regard to bus shelters and litter.

It would be interesting to know which "brain of Britain" - or, in this case, Basingstoke - designed the new glass/stainless steel bus shelters erected around Winklebury?

Excuse me! Glass? Every bus shelter has had panes of glass smashed since they were erected - in some cases twice, even three times.

And at what cost - higher bus fares or council tax to pay for repairs?

Surely someone knew the steel/mesh shelters were not vandalproof.

If there is an excess of funds, please can the powers-that-be use some to keep the main town centre bus shelters clean of litter and cigarette butts?

The bays in the bus station itself are an absolute disgrace - what on earth must visitors to our multi-million-pound Festival Place think when they see the filfth in the hedgerows as they drive out of the bus station?

The bus shelters at the back of Wilkinson are particularly in need of regular cleaning, and with something a little more substantial than a grabber stick - a broom and shovel perhaps?

I feel the standard of cleaning at the Festival Place and Malls shopping areas really is something that needs addressing - preferably before discussing turning our town into a city.

Incidentally, who thought up that gem - Basingstoke city?

-Name and address supplied.