I SEE that Swindon council is facing up to its traffic congestion problems and has publicly recognised (EA July 14) that the basis of their troubles is quite simple: too many cars.

The council is quite right to suggest that before buying a car, prospective owners should consider where it is going to be kept and that littering up the highways (and increasingly, pavements) with large tin boxes on wheels is not a right.

After all, what would be the reaction if residents left their furniture lying about on the roads and pavements while it was not in use?

The attitudes of some of your motoring correspondents would be quite comic if they did not illuminate such selfishness and the assumption that the law need only be obeyed provided that it is not a personal inconvenience.

It is unbelievable that anyone could excuse themselves for parking on double yellow lines 'because there was nowhere else to park' and hilarious that 'speed bumps' should be criticised for being fierce enough actually to slow down vehicles. Suspension damage (personal and vehicular) is an admission of guilt.

Unfortunately the Government is now exacerbating the situation by deciding to 'improve' motorways. Extra lanes may mean that vehicle actually on the motorway can move more freely but they mostly start from and end up in places such as Swindon.

R J Harvey

Lyneham