SIR - The Liberal Democrats' prospective candidate, Dr Hirst's, letter to the Gazette about school transport demonstrates his unfamiliarity of this constituency which he wishes to represent.

The current system for school transport has not changed significantly over 50 years. According to the rules, a child under eight will not qualify for free transport unless they live more than two miles away from their nearest primary school and older children are expected to walk three miles before they qualify.

These limits mean that many children due to the policy just miss out.

Many parents find it unacceptable for children to walk these distances on dark, winter days along unlit. country roads. This inevitably leads to car congestion at almost every school in our area causing problems for residents near school gates.

I welcome the Government's initiative in offering some local councils the power to find better ways of providing school transport. Gloucestershire County Council is not amongst the pilot scheme and, if Dr Hirst had asked the council, he would have discovered this.

It is hoped that the outcome of the pilot schemes will bring a more equitable outcome for all school children and this thorny subject will be resolved.

Margaret Nolder Green Street Cam