Sir, - Some 18 months ago, turning into Rosemary Lane, Richmond, I came upon a scene of wanton destruction.

Large lumps of the road surface, which had been in a good state of repair, were on the back of a truck, and the kerb and paving stones were joining them. Watching the scene was one of four local councillors.

Spotting the gaffer in charge, I shouted to him: "What are you going to do with those flags and paving stones?"

"Going to landfill" he replied.

"But you ought to be using them again, they were only renewed three years ago".

"Orders", he said, "landfill!"

I turned to have a word with our councillor, who had no doubt voted for this work, but he had vanished. The total cost of this work was £150,000.

All that was needed to make Rosemary Lane a one-way street were two signposts costing £80.

King Street and Finkle Street were given the same treatment, almost-new kerbs and flagstones dumped in landfill and, in King Street, valuable loading space was lost when the footpath was extended and cobblestones laid.

The total cost for making these streets one-way was half a million pounds, when six signs was all that was needed.

ROBERT HARY Park Wynd, Richmond.