THE news that the NHS is terribly short of beds was brought home recently when it was revealed that a patient suffering from meningitis was left on a trolley, and subsequently died.

I thought that our brave new government was going to really look after the NHS and that Frank Dobson said we were going to have thousands of new doctors and nurses. Really?

It is only 20 months into their term of office, and already we have chaos.

What is making things worse in the Hyndburn area is the ludicrous new map the council has issued.

Emergency services, especially those brought in from outside, perhaps on emergency call out, have to find their way around, and, in the past, had the use of Shurmer's Guide - a superb work of art.

Now, we have this thing, which has so many errors it is not true - I gave up counting the missing streets at 150.

There are streets in the wrong towns, and a huge number of spelling mistakes.

Just who is responsible for this outrage? I cannot see Mr Shurmer doing it.

It has just been announced that we are to have more "traffic calming" measures in Hyndburn - on Queen's Road, Lonsdale Street, and Burnley Road in Accrington.

Can you imagine the chaos caused and the lack of dignity to funeral corteges going up to the cemetery?

Here's hoping that 1999 will be a much better year, and that, at last, Frank Dobson comes across with actions, not just spin-inspired spiel.

GRANVILLE BROADHURST, Sharples Street, Accrington.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.