IN reply to R J McBroom's letter (Obstacles to sense, August 7). For three years I have campaigned for traffic calming and road improvements to Manor Drive North, Acomb, to no avail. I am told the money is available but not the will of some of the residents.

I know most of the parents and grandparents who care about their children being able to play safely want to see some traffic calming measures put into place but it seems we are in a minority.

Like Mr McBroom, some of the old fuddy duddies are afraid their nice new cars may get damaged by these measures.

Traffic calming, by whatever means, is desperately needed because the volume and speed of vehicles through the drive is getting worse. No major repairs have been carried out to Manor Drive North for at least 30 years. There are sections where the concrete road surface is cracking with settlement, pot holes are appearing in the pavements and the Drive looks positively untidy.

To put the record straight, Mr McBroom, traffic calming does mean fewer vehicles, less pollution, less chance of an accident and a safer and cleaner environment. Frustrated motorists trying to negotiate traffic calming methods at speed will damage their cars. My heart bleeds!

Training is not enough. The driving test has become more difficult. This, however, has made no difference. A car at speed is a dangerous projectile. Putting an 'obstacle' in the way will slow down motorists. Let not that 'obstacle' be a child. It was my four-year-old grandson who was knocked down by a car and suffered a broken collar bone while happily playing with other children.

F Glenister,

Manor Drive North,

Acomb, York.

...I WAS horrified to read City of York Council's road safety officer's comments about proposed 'Home Zones' (August 8). He states: "Drivers will be expected to behave in a manner which does not threaten the residents who wish to socialise in the street".

Am I right to understand then that children are going to be allowed and encouraged to socialise in the street?

This is sheer lunacy.

Giving children right of way in the road will confuse them and could encourage them to take risks elsewhere. This could be fatal. He also says "this will be the case for all the council's Home Zone schemes". I hope he doesn't want to build one outside my house. I do not want my children to be encouraged to play on a road.

Why can't we tackle the real issues surrounding road safety rather than slowly strangling the road network, and with it the economy of York, in a vain attempt to be seen to be doing something?

R J McBroom,

Strensall Park, York.

Updated: 10:33 Tuesday, August 14, 2001