Letter: Justice in jeopardy

Sir: On Tuesday I had occasion to use public transport for the first time in several years. My car needed a small repair in Oswestry, seven miles from my home so I decided to catch a bus home.

The journey to the garage took me just under 15 minutes.

The journey home took me just over an hour. It took fifteen minutes to walk to the bus station from the garage, with five minutes waiting for the bus, 20 minutes on the bus, then another 25 minutes' walk from the bus stop to my home, during which I was saturated by sleet.

I consider myself to be as empathic to environmental issues as most people, and agree that as a nation we need to reduce our use of the car. But am dismayed that the Government's proposed measures are directed at relieving inner-city congestion.

There is no alternative to using my car. When one is found I shall willingly use it. Until then, politicians should direct some of their energies towards minimising the costs and inconveniences to the essential car users in rural communities.

MALCOLM E OZANNE

Oswestry, Shropshire