SIR, — Further to recent correspondence about the lack of school places in central St Albans, it is now the turn of council nursery provision. I hope someone can explain to me the genius of Herts County Council in reducing the number of nursery places ava

SIR, - Further to recent correspondence about the lack of school places in central St Albans, it is now the turn of council nursery provision.

I hope someone can explain to me the genius of Herts County Council in reducing the number of nursery places available at St Peters School Nursery from September and creating more spaces away from the centre. We live 600 metres from St Peters yet failed to obtain a nursery place for our daughter, Amy, instead being allocated a place at Bernards Heath.

The county council consider the following daily timetable perfectly normal for our household from September:

8:20 Walk 1.7 miles to Bernards Heath School to drop off two children, one in nursery, one in Year 1.

9:00 Walk 1.7 miles home.

11:20 Walk 1.7 miles to Bernards Heath School to pick up from Nursery.

12:00 Walk 1.7 miles home.

2:30 walk 1.7 miles to Bernards Heath School to pick up from Year 1.

3:10 walk 1.7 miles home.

Over 10 miles a day (2,000 miles per year) - what a pleasant way for our third, two-year-old daughter, to spend in a pushchair but at least it will keep the parents fit! Yes, nursery provision is not compulsory - though it is Government policy - but it benefited our oldest daughter so why should Amy miss out?

Education provision in St Albans appears to go completely against all the county council's policies and vision of encouraging local communities, reducing carbon footprints, reducing congestion and providing educational opportunities for all. Failing to provide local schools is incompetence on a grand scale - at least we get the chance to vote them out of office on June.

In the meantime please join SABLE, the local campaign group lobbying for improved provision of primary education in central St Albans. Please give them your support and sign their petition. Pressure must be put on county councillors to provide local education for our children in St Albans, not out on its edges.

IAN LANGFORD,

Orient Close, St Albans.