AS a Darlington cab driver, I took a customer to Hartlepool last Thursday evening and feel compelled to comment on what a marvellous job Hartlepool Borough Council is doing with the town's development.

Hartlepool has an excellent dual carriageway (A689) running virtually right through it to the coast, through the excellently improved marina area with loads of retail parks containing vast choices of commercial sales outlets to the public, loads of parking and new bridges, where needed taking wider roads - unlike Darlington where any moderately wide roads have been narrowed and blocked by bus stops, where old, rotten bridges are narrowed to single lanes, and where traffic lights cause jams rather than making traffic flow.

Also, Hartlepool's road surfaces are 100 per cent better than Darlington's, which are full of potholes or unmaintained humps.

Congratulations Hartlepool, you have definitely shaken off the reputation of being a slummy town.

Sadly, the people of Darlington have to take that title now because we keep electing small-minded councillors who can't imagine a twolane road without a roundabout every 50 yards.

Hartlepool's excellent Middleton Grange shopping centre, too, is bigger and better than our "Corny ill" shopping centre, which is not worth going into town for. Scores: Hartlepool 9/10, Darlington 2/10.

Brian Foster, Darlington.