I AM writing in reply to Mr Obourne's recent letter in which he expressed his frustration at people who leave their engines running during cold spells. I would like to offer the following in reply.

1. Many families have two vehicles and only one garage, and therefore, cannot put both cars away. If Mr Obourne feels that people who do not put cars in their garage are lazy, he is being unrealistic. To call these people lazy is insulting in any case, people have every right to decide for themselves whether to use their garage for a vehicle.

2. A car left running on a driveway makes very little noise, and there are no vehicles in our street that omit excess omissions, but whilst saying that I can understand people's concerns for the ozone.

3. Should any night workers be annoyed in anyway, most people would be considerate for that fact. However we are not aware of any night workers in the close. Mr Obourne is not a night worker, in spite of the wording of his letter.

4. With respect to the law. I have found no law which prevents a person from running a vehicle on a private driveway. However, I do appreciate there is a law about leaving the engine of your car running unattended, whilst on the roadside.

5. Finally, does Mr Obourne consider that it would be much more polite/neighbourly to communicate with people directly instead of making veiled threats via a newspaper? We live in a pleasant cul-de-sac, and most people within the street are willing to consider others views and concerns. Indeed, most people in the street have the decency to discuss issues directly with each other.

Having discussed this matter with many of my neighbours, we all agree that the problem which Mr Obourne has written about is not a major problem, and really not worth complaining to the newspaper over.

STEPHEN PILL

Borage Close

Swindon