"Boost for county's transport schemes", said the headline (The Argus, January 4).

It's typical West Sussex should concentrate on Government subsidies for the A27 and A24.

As a former officer, Lieutenant Colonel Tex Pemberton, West Sussex County Council cabinet member for highways and transport, ought to know the lack of a modern railway in Southern England, for passengers and freight, is the only future form of sustainable transport.

Until there is a change in mindset over transport, gridlock will get worse and business will move where there are better railway services.

Cast your eye on the disjointed Victorian shuttle service. It's an apology for a railway.

On a good day, it can take up to five hours to travel 150 miles by train from Ashford International to Southampton Central Station. The average journey speed is 30 miles per hour, yet new Electrostar trains were designed to travel at more than 100 miles per hour.

-John Stanaway, Coastway Region Railfuture, Hove