He is a long distance lorry driver and a Conservative district councillor. His local colleagues have enthusiastically embraced the expensive guided bus system and so helped deprive us of a much needed rail link between the main line at Huntingdon and Cambridge and onto Stansted and Felixstowe.

The current Labour Government has rejected EU funding to improve the existing rail link to Felixstowe which could take a lot of freight traffic off the roads. Sadly the Conservatives weren't very interested either.

Mr Dakers is right about one thing though – the capability of the Highways Agency.

Belatedly they have realised that their designs for the lay-bys on the A14 are a major cause of the problems that regular users of this road have to endure.

I call on all of your readers to support three initiatives relating to the A14:

>> Sign the petition on the Wood Green Animal Shelter web site about the junction with the new route and the A1198. A lot of places, including Mr Dakers' constituency of Fenstanton, desperately need this junction. An undertaking to consider it is not enough. That is all there is at present.

>> Try to ensure your town or parish council support the initiative of Hilton Parish Council to try and minimise the environmental consequences of the Orange route. The last thing we need is for the route to be on an embankment so that noise is spread far and wide.

>> Support the initiatives by the Eastern Liberal Democrats and the Offord Action Group to improve the east west rail link(s) to Felixstowe.
Colin Saunderson
Liberal Democrat
St Ives

Petty thieves>> I hope the family and young girl who stole from the Animal Protection charity shop in Cross Keys, St Neots, on Saturday, January 12, are proud of themselves.
One item they took was a headband which cost just 20p.
What a sad world it has become.
Name supplied

Energy prices too high
>> I'm writing to express our continuing grave concern at the rapid increase in energy prices.

So far, Government action consists of writing a letter to the energy regulator. Meanwhile, colder temperatures and excessive energy costs could result in as many as 25,000 unnecessary deaths this winter.

In St Neots we have issued special leaflets and adverts advising elderly residents on how to keep warm and keep down their costs this winter.

But this is something that the Government should be doing – not local Liberal Democrats.

I was very pleased to see that our new leader Nick Clegg used his first Prime Minister's Question Time to ask salient questions about this issue. 

He called upon the Government to address the problems of lower income families. He stated that it is going to be an expensive year for British families facing fuel bill increases and asked if a letter from the Chancellor to the energy regulator was appropriate response?

He asked again about rising energy prices and the scandal of the poorest customers paying most for energy needs. In response Gordon Brown said he will look at the issue of card using meters where the poorest pay the most for energy.

I hope we will see rapid action. So far this winter has been mild, but there are no guarantees such good fortune will continue.
Martin Land,
St Neots Liberal Democrats 

We've already had our say on play areas
>> I read with interest that Little Paxton Parish Council is sending out more than 1,250 questionnaires regarding additional play areas in the village (Town Crier, January 10).

However, the council have failed to point out residents living in the vicinity of the proposed areas have already filled in a questionnaire, although I believe only 60 were issued and an overwhelming rejection of said plans were received.

The majority of residents living near the proposed areas are of retirement age and have expressed their views.

Now, it appears, they have been totally ignored by the parish council due to it sending out these new questionnaires without a mention of this fact.

Residents of the proposed areas should be listened to as anybody living half a mile or so away will not be affected by any vandalism or anti-social behaviour that we have experienced recently in the village, but will have a vote that could affect the lives of other residents who are totally against these proposals.

Anybody with any foresight should be able to envisage what will occur if these play areas go ahead.
Name supplied

New year resolutions
>> As the days lengthen and it becomes a little warmer, hopefully those of us who made new year resolutions to get fitter and healthier will feel encouraged to do so.

Supporting us in all this is the NHS which this year celebrates its 60th anniversary.

And Gordon Brown has announced a world first – there will be a national screening programme for some of the country`s biggest killers.
These include heart stroke, diabetes and kidney diseases.

As individuals we can also try and help to conquer these diseases by keeping up with our resolutions to improve and maintain our health.
We can look at our lifestyle and adjust our diet to match the amount of work we do. We can take small steps to increase the exercise we take, dig the garden, walk a mile, ride a bicycle.

I am hoping my get fit resolutions pay off and I hope yours do too.
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2008.
Anthea Cox
Spokeswoman for Huntingdon Constituency Labour Party