IT IS becoming more attractive, with declining oil prices, to increase the mileage we all drive as either a tourist or commuter. Public transport is seen as expensive and inconvenient. Take for example travelling from Wiltshire into Bathnes BANES or Bristol. The high speed link by train is late and over budget considerably.

The new Japanese locomotives have been delivered and are both idle and mothballed until the rail-track through the Thames Valley via Chippenham and Bradford-on-Avon requires modernising to take these monsters. As a one-time kid from the south-east of England, why not modify the track and engines to run from Chippenham and Westbury with the live third rail? If these modifications could be done, it would allow regular travellers and residents faster and subsidised travel from places within the region. No one wants to despoil Bath or Bristol with unnecessary overhead cables even though these are cheap and reliable. The strategic maintenance needs of both these two routes to avoid cancellations are imperative. If large park and train options are permitted from those railway stations with passing places then local trains could take the strain. Bathhampton/Batheaston might be spared an unsightly park and ride car inter-change. Could the citizens of Bath cope with a local private car congestion charge? With service buses, pedal cyclists as well as real local business traffic being exempt then probably all will object equally. At such a stage we probably have the balance about right. Should Railtrack have insisted on buying British? Someone needs to act before the heritage status is removed from two great cities.

PAUL B GODWIN, Chippenham