Key element: It is regrettable that Peter Thompson (Advertiser, w/e July 9) seeks to make political capital from councillors attempting to address the concerns of their constituents.

Liberal Democrats on Belmont Parish Council, reflecting the views of many parishioners, fully support the park-and-ride concept, acknowledging that a key element of the scheme is a rapid connection with the city.

We appreciate that an important factor in attaining this is the number of vehicles using the A690 between Carrville and Durham.

Since we were unable to obtain this information from Durham County Council, the vice-chairman of Belmont Parish Council and I carried out our own count. We concluded that if no provision is made to remove the Leazes Road bottleneck, the bus-only lane would result in tailbacks extending two km from the Gilesgate roundabout.

The dedicated bus providing Mr Thompson's 'speedy delivery service' would be no quicker than the current journey by car.

It is because we wish to see the park-and-ride succeed, for the very reasons Mr Thompson gives, that I felt it necessary to present this information to the Highways Committee in the hope that alternative ways of bringing about the 'speedy delivery' - such as a tidal flow or an additional lane on the westbound A690 (as is the case with other successful bus-only lanes) - would be considered.

Durham's taxpayers are investing several millions of pounds in the city's park-and-ride schemes and Liberal Democrats are working to make sure we get good value for money from this investment.

County Coun Ken Holroyd, Belmont

Unpopular plan

RE Peter Thompson's letter (Advertiser week ending July 9). Peter had served his local community very well for a number of years, but I wonder whether he lost his seat on the county council as a direct result of his support for the unpopular bus lane proposal on the A690 which, will undoubtedly, have a disproportionate effect upon residents of Gilesgate Moor and indeed anyone who lives between the city and the park-and-ride terminus at Carrville.

I have yet to meet anyone in Gilesgate who is pleased by the introduction of the bus lane.

Residents have become aware of the secrecy with which the ruling Labour group on the council conduct their affairs. In particular, the toll road proposal, which was never mentioned in the County Transport Plan and only came to light just before the election.

Robin Chapman

Durham

Suitable site

Would a suitable site for the new mental hospital be the acres of car parks at County Hall which will be made redundant by the introduction of the park-and-ride scheme?

David Hook

Durham

Hardly hazardous

News informing council tax payers of the county council decision to lease office space from Rivergreen Developments brings to a close the saga of the council's ambition to locate the North-Eastern Assembly building in Aykley Heads. The building is built on land owned by the council and was constructed with the benefit of a 20 per cent Government grant given by One NorthEast.

A 'No' vote in last November's referendum did not stop construction of the building but it did leave the developer without a tenant.

Suddenly and shortly before the building is to be completed the county council finds it is short of space for 300 staff. Grants are given by the Government to encourage enterprises.

Perhaps our new MP and our county councillor could tell taxpayers what kind of enterprise the employment of local government staff represents. Enterprise is defined as an undertaking representing difficulty of hazard. Not much of that happens at County Hall. We the taxpayer are the ones at hazard.

The lease from Rivergreen will cost taxpayers £370,000 per year for the next seven years.

Brian Clouston, Durham Taxpayers' Alliance.