RECENTLY I had to make a journey to Orrell via Garswood, a journey I hadn't made for a number of months and there have been changes made on the road through Garswood.

First was the new mini-roundabout - five out of 10 for St Helens Highways Department for remembering what a mini-roundabout looks like and a further five for resisting the temptation to erect yet another set of obnoxious traffic lights.

However along Garswood Road the Department reverted to type with the construction of the road blocks taking up a whole carriageway width in one direction. To counter a perceived safety concern the Department has installed a very real and very solid threat to all traffic.

The possibilities for some kind of incident at any one of these car-busters are endless, ranging from small shunts resulting only in car damage, through possible road-rage situations and ending with a major head-on collision with possible loss of life.

A major concern would be for a motorcyclist, strange to the district, in the dead of winter and in pouring rain. This is an accident waiting to happen.

Just as the abominable road humps will one day bring a host of claims against the council for damage to cars, this latest folly could be a whole lot more serious.

Two more things - is it legal for the Highways Department to block off a whole carriageway on one of the Queens' highways?

Were the emergency services consulted?

H Atkinson, Haydock.