THE Journal article on parking in Ashton (March 5) failed to recognise the strong objections from locals due to the potential increase in risk to children and others if vehicles – school coaches and delivery vehicles specifically – are helped to travel more quickly by the removal of the natural restrictions brought about by parked vehicles.

At present the school coaches and others often use the pavements in the village, and even the county officials accept that this is unsafe.

Removing parking will enable the coaches to travel more quickly and still use the pavements in narrow areas.

This is not a means to improve safety, especially as one area that they use is the pavement directly outside the post office and removing parking will encourage them to drive along the pavement more quickly.

It appears from correspondence that county council officials have given much weight to the coach companies' wish for quicker travel.

This is not appropriate. Safety should be paramount and the officials have told me that they have not carried out any comparative risk assessment of their proposal.

The officials have not considered the alternative of a 20mph speed limit through the village.

Your photograph did not show the many placards that said, 'Slow the coaches', 'Safety not speed' etc. This is not opposition from people who just oppose yellow lines, but from concerned residents who wish to remain safe in a rural village without speeding traffic past the schools.

The parish council has objected to the county council's proposal and as representatives of the village they should be supported by the officials.

It is not acceptable for the officials to only ask for comment from the county councillor who does not live in the village.

Ian Facer

Ashton-under-Hill