Antony Burton's letter on Feb.23 expressed many of my own thoughts on this subject. I am 90, live alone and no longer drive, so have been dependant on local busses to attend hospital clinics in Gloucester, Cheltenham, and recently in Cirencester , as well as for shopping.

Each of these towns has electronic displays showing the arrival times of all busses in the next hour os so. Surely this would solve many of the problems we have in Stroud. One would no longer have to wait 45 minutes before finding a taxi and making a claim.

When I asked Stagecoach why there no displays, the answer was that this is entirely up to the Council, not the bus companies. I also have great sympathy for Cotswold Green. They provide an excellent service to Cirencester and the places enroute ,but have no timetables posted in Merrywalks.

One driver told me he is not even allowed to use the facilities in the old police station.

Why have the Five Valley developers been allowed to close the toilets behind Domino's?

This is most inconvenient for drivers as well as travellers.

If the lift happens to be working, there are loos tucked away in the indoor market, but not even signposted. Stroud may truly be a wonderful place to live, but its generally tatty image is embodied in Merrywalks.

What can we do about it ?

Emily Say

Stroud