BIN THE BENDIES: Although interesting, I think your article proposing £65 million state-of-the-art buses is a bit wide of the mark. These buses are merely glorified bendy buses that are at present used by First in Leeds and York. If they are that good, why are they not in use in every First Group fleet in the country?

Transport for London specifies the vehicles that must be used on the capital's bus network and at what frequencies, but no Streetcars operate and London has already started the process to rid itself of its bendy buses.

I fail to see how a few yards of bus lane here and there would help one of these vehicles caught up in bumper-to-bumper peak-hour traffic all the way from Kidsgrove to Hanley or through Hartshill from Keele to Stoke!

As for supporters believing the scheme to be more effective than the light rail networks in Manchester, Birmingham and Sheffield, I would suggest they try a comparison trip in peak hours between Birmingham and Wolverhampton or Manchester to Altrincham on a bus and light rail system. The light rail network wins hands down every time. A recent test on BBC TV showed it was quicker to travel from Wolverhampton to Birmingham on the Midland Metro tram, stopping at every stop, than a car driving non-stop on the motorway !

If First want to improve bus services here, let's have some of the brand new double-deckers that are flooding into Manchester and West Yorkshire instead of being given their second-hand cast-offs time and time again!

CLIFF BEETON

Tunstall