Sir.-My child recently started school in Old Basing, and I think the traffic situation in the village is appalling.

When is someone going to deal with the calming or even disabling of the morning commuter rat run through this village?

I have walked my child to school since September and in that very short period of time have seen three near-misses and two cars that jumped red lights while children were crossing.

Motorists seem to speed very closely to pedestrians in areas where there are either very narrow pavements or even sometimes no pavements to walk the children.

It is ludicrous that this situation is allowed to continue when it seems to me that it is only a matter of time before someone is caused serious injury - or worse.

Who is responsible for identifying and dealing with problems like this?

Surely the village was not intended for such heavy traffic in such confined spaces lacking footpaths.

Indeed it does not seem very "green" that most parents feel uneasy walking their children to school so use the car for journeys as little as 500 yards!

-Name and address withheld.