Sir.-A great deal of public money is spent on traffic calming (mostly unwanted) and a good deal on cycleways (hardly ever used).

It seems to me that footpaths should have a degree of priority, especially when they are lacking alongside busy roads.

One such road is along a footpath on Hanmore Road, Chineham. Vehicles park there while the occupants wait for children from Four Lanes school and pedestrians have the choice of using either a muddy surface or the middle of the road.

There is a section of Reading Road which has long needed a footpath. There is no continuous footpath between the Chineham surgery drive and the road leading into Christ Church. There is a bus stop with a shelter, a public phone box and two buildings serving a large number of people of all ages.

A solution has been sought for the Reading Road problem without success. Pedestrians are required to cross this road twice to use a footpath - otherwise they can walk, at risk, in the road.

-Hugh Moore, Fennel Close, Chineham.