The claim that proposed EU legislation absolves cyclists or pedestrians of guilt in collision with motor vehicles is wrong.

And the claim that motorists' insurance premiums would rise by £50 as a result of the introduction of such legislation is also wrong.

In countries where this legislation already exists - France, Belgium and Scandinavian states for example - insurance premiums have not risen significantly. Instead, motorists drive with more care, showing consideration towards those sharing the road.

One would hope that this EU directive, were it to become UK law and be coupled with other road safety measures, would encourage drivers to speed less often and turn mobile phones off when at the wheel.

Speeding is responsible for more than a third of the 3,500 road deaths in the UK each year. And mobile phone use has been shown by the Transport Research Laboratory to be more dangerous than driving when drunk or under the influence of drugs.

Cyclists and pedestrians are more likely to be killed in the UK than anywhere else in Europe, despite Britain having some of the lowest rates of cycling and walking.

Judging by the continental example, the introduction of this EU directive would reduce the number of road collisions, leading to a drop rather than an increase in motor insurance premiums. Furthermore, the driver would retain the right to prove in court that the cyclist or pedestrian had caused a collision, if that was the case. - K Mayne, Director, CTC, the national cyclists' organisation.

POSTAL SERVICES

ROYAL Mail is conducting trials of a new Tailored Delivery programme of mail deliveries in 14 pilot areas across the country. Thirsk is one of the pilot areas.

As the watchdog for postal services in the region, Postwatch Northern England is monitoring the trials very closely, through a variety of sources, to gauge the impact that it will have upon both business and social and domestic customers.

We are very keen to hear the views, be they good or bad, of all postal service customers in the Thirsk area upon whom this trial impacts. Postwatch, as a national organisation, will be making representation to Royal Mail and the more evidence that we can gain from customers, the more comprehensive our feedback will be.

We would like to invite all customers from the Y07 postcode area to make their views on the effects of the trial known to us. Our address is: Postwatch Northern England, Devere House, Vicar Lane, Bradford BDI 5AY. Alternatively, you can contact us by fax on: (01274) 230042. - Judith Donovan CBE, Chairman, Postwatch Northern England.

WHAT faith can people have with Royal Mail after it admitted losing half a million letters a week? - N Tate, Darlington.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

WITH his outbursts about the freedom of people to express their views other than on his terms, Durham County Council leader Ken Manton is the sort of person who tarnishes the image of local government and makes voters increasingly apathetic.

To suggest that people are 'moaners' because they take their views elsewhere can only be described as arrogant and gives the impression that he thinks his council is akin to Caesar's wife.

As a councillor, he no doubt has no difficulty getting his complaints dealt with by councillors and officers. But many people I have met have had difficulty in getting satisfaction by taking problems to town and county halls.

I thought councillors were there to serve their constituents. If they actively went around their wards themselves seeing what is wrong and listening to what voters have to say, it wouldn't be so necessary for the latter to vent their spleens in other ways.

I have never seen local councillors going out to the public except at election time, and I can only assume that they know they would be hard put to find answers to the sort of things they would be asked.

Local government will always be seen as completely aloof from the public as long as councillors and officers shut themselves in their ivory towers, supposedly earning their ever-increasing remuneration, and content to tell the public how to conduct themselves. - RK Bradley, Darlington.

TOLL ROAD

READING of Durham's first in charging motorists using Saddler Street leading to the Palace Green, brings to mind that other first in the introduction of television controls on Silver Street, Claypath and Saddler Street, prior to pedestrianisation. - R Hall, Chester-le-Street.

PETER MULLEN

PETER Mullen (Echo, Aug 6) mentions Sarah Double-Barrel, a commissioning editor at a certain London newspaper, wanting to sub Mr Mullen's copy.

Well Mr Mullen, I'd bet you that if a letter to HAS from you yourself used another name it would be modified, at least a bit.

First of all prolixity is taboo; no more than 200 words please. And even then you'd need to keep things good and tight. And columnists are not noted for this. Bad habits are consequently formed. And isn't brevity the soul of good writing, Mr Mullen? - Alfred H Lister, Guisborough.

RICHARD NEALE

RICHARD Neale says that criminals have been dealt with better than he. He is wrong.

Very few prisoners have mutilated dozens of ladies and then been paid massive sums of money. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.