BUS LANES: SO much criticism has been made about Darlington's bus lanes and, from actions observed, no wonder.

Last Saturday, a day that is always busy on the town's roads, while driving from Yarm Road into the town centre, I came across a bus lane.

In front of me was an Arriva bus travelling, not in its designated lane, but in the stream of ordinary vehicles.

The bus lane was totally empty: no parked vehicles, no obstructions, no-one at bus stops. So why, I ask, do buses not travel in the lanes assigned to them?

The empty unused bus lane presented a total waste of good road not being utilised. If Joe Public drives in the bus lanes fines are issued. The same should apply for buses not using designated lanes, but of course this wouldn't happen.

So much unused road area all creating road hold-ups and more chaos in Darlington. - David Reed, Darlington.

NATIONAL LOTTERY

I AM not quite sure what Charles Wilson (HAS, Jan 9) means when he refers to "the most up-to-date lottery in the world", but certainly Camelot is an international leader in lottery innovation.

National Lottery Fast Pay has enabled tickets to be bought at supermarket checkouts for the first time ever, as Tesco shoppers will already know. We also operate the most successful interactive lottery in the world. Tickets can be purchased at national-lottery.co.uk, through Sky Active on digital television and via a mobile phone with the ground-breaking Play by Text service.

Playing through the interactive channels also avoids the problem of lost tickets, as you will always be contacted directly if you have won a prize.

And Mr Wilson's concern about the size of jackpots will, I hope, be abated by recent news of a second £70m-plus Euromillions rollover and the Christmas Eve £15m superdraw win by Gabrielle and Darren Nash. - Jo Kenrick, Marketing Director, Camelot Group plc.

SAME-SEX COUPLES

I AM, I hope, a fair minded pensioner and have seen many changes over the years. A war baby, 1960s wild child and many other things too.

I don't usually put pen to paper and get involved in newspaper disputes but I must agree, mostly, with Susan Willis (HAS, Dec 28), as I suspect will most people apart from gays and do-gooders.

People can indeed do as they have a right to in private. The truth is gay marriage is a mockery and takes the world to a new low. Any behaviour that is different is normal, the most bizarre being the normal these days, but we don't have to be brainwashed into agreeing to something we disagree with.

I have some wonderful gay friends that would never discuss their private lives, as indeed I wouldn't.

I was sickened by the reporting all day of Elton John's supposed wedding by the media. Elton is a great entertainer who has tainted peoples' respect. He has always made headlines by erratic behaviour.

My final comment is good luck to them both that they are committing properly. I just don't want to know their private life. So take heart Susan, you are correct.

Charles and Camilla's wedding was dignified. Elton John's was a mockery and a publicity stunt. Tacky. - L Nicholson, Esh Winning.

SPEEDING

SATURDAY'S Northern Echo reported that the wife of footballer Michael Owen had been fined and banned for speeding.

It was also suggested that, in her late stages of pregnancy, she would have difficulty in getting to hospital in an emergency, because of Owen's foot injury, which prevents him driving.

Could I suggest that, in view of Michael Owen's salary, the family could employ a team of drivers on 24-hour call to respond to any emergency. - Eric Gendle, Middlesbrough.

MARGARET THATCHER

ISN'T it amazing how prejudice can make people blind to reality.

Paul Rivers (HAS, Jan 9) seems to be oblivious to some defining points in our recent history.

Before 1979 the country was in dire straits due to union power running riot with its left wing agenda.

Margaret Thatcher not only controlled this menace, but also, although harsh measures were necessary, constructed the modernised platform for Britain's economic success in the future.

Mr Rivers seems to be able to ignore that the divide between haves and have nots has grown under New Labour as we see Gordon Brown's so-called prudence leading us into record levels of debt which can only lead to more increases in his already horrendous stealth taxes.

The policies of creating jobs in the unproductive public sector, and gold plating of so much European legislation, are now blighting our economic future.

I would agree that Mrs Thatcher went too far in the end, but let us hope that most people are able to give David Cameron time to develop some appropriate, sensible policies, which the electorate can then look at objectively. - John Heslop, Darlington.

FREE BUSES

I AM all for free bus travel for our pensioners, and the sooner the local councils give them it, the better (Echo, Jan 13).

The North-East has so much to offer, with major centres like Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Darlington and Durham offering a wide range of delights which our elderly folk would not perhaps be able to visit, with their paltry weekly pensions and without free travel.

I urge the local councils of the North-East to put a halt to the boundaries of free bus travel and allow these worthy pensioners free transport to other urban centres in the region.

After all, it's the least that they deserve, and it will also bring more money to the other local businesses that just rely on their own townsfolk for income. - Christopher Wardell, Darlington.

POOR DONKEYS

THE World Society for the Protection of Animals does a wonderful job in helping stop the suffering for overworked animals. Its latest campaign is especially praiseworthy - to bring to public attention the scandalous treatment of donkeys working in brick factories in Surkhrod, Afghanistan.

If there was a league table of animals who suffer the worst at our hands, the donkey would be at the very top of the list.

The fact is that, in temperatures of 110F in the shade, thousands of animals are put to work every day hauling huge quantities of bricks. By the time the sun sets, each animal will have carried an astonishing 5,000 bricks.

It's hard to imagine the raw, infected sores created by such heavy loads. And what's worse still, when the wounds become infected there's no care because veterinary services aren't affordable or accessible.

I hope you feel as passionately as I do that this suffering must stop. It's wrong to let animals endure a life of pain, simply because there is no money for veterinary care.

Can you help relieve the pain for these poor "beasts of burden"? If so, the WSPA donation website can be found at www.wspa.org.uk. - Aled Jones, Bridlington.