Sir, - I certainly agree that there is growing disquiet about the proposal for a pedestrian bridge over the River Tees at Barnard Castle (D&S, Nov 7). Apart from the environmental issues, there are other issues at stake. Teesdale Marketing, an un-elected quango, was given £35,000 of taxpayers' money to fund a feasibility study for this project. I don't think there was any real opposition to a simple bridge for walkers over the Tees.

However, according to Bill Oldfield, this project was not financially viable and in my opinion should have been dropped. Instead we now have a revised scheme that can best be described as a "rural Disneyland" with all its environmental implications.

In spite of being given a large sum of public money, Teesdale Marketing has failed to consult the public. The parish councils of both Cotherstone and Lartington have not been formally consulted on these revised plans. Mr Oldfield claims that 400 people a day will be walking the railway line into Cotherstone so residents of both Lartington and Cotherstone will be affected..

Bill Oldfield argues that this will all come out when a formal planning application is made. However by then the momentum of the scheme will be hard to resist.

Teesdale Marketing has been quite adept in softening up the district council which has given its qualified support, subject of course to planning permission.

He claims that they have not submitted any grant applications to the various funding bodies that could support their project.

I understand these bodies are the regional development programme run by Durham County Council, One Northeast (an immense quango well-known for its largesse in dispensing public funds around the region) and the Lottery Commission.

However, Mr Oldfield does admit they have had discussions with these bodies prior to submitting an application for grant aid. Are these bodies aware of the general public disquiet towards their latest proposal?

There are large sums of public money involved in this scheme. Four million pounds was mentioned for the bridge alone. What is it going to cost for the tea rooms, car parking, access roads and the "interpretative centre"? I can think of better ways to spend four million pounds to benefit Barnard Castle rather than wasting it on this scheme.

A new roof for the Bowes Museum and improvements to the Witham Hall are more important.

I believe the public have a right( it is after all their money) to know the full extent and impact of their new scheme.

I challenge Mr Oldfield to call a public meeting in the Witham Hall so that he can air his proposals in full and the public can make their views known.

ROBIN RACKHAM

Lartington Hall,

Lartington,

Barnard Castle