SIR - It is probably too early to know what caused the tragic accident in which four people, including a two-year-old child, were killed on Thornton Road on October 25. However, I think it is safe to assume that speed was almost certainly a contributory factor.

To my knowledge there have been five deaths and at least one serious accident (involving a young pupil of Thornton Grammar School) within 100 yards of this latest tragedy.

How many more people will die or be injured before the Council honour their promise to install the three pelican crossings along this stretch of road? And what other measures can be implemented to prevent further deaths?

I have three children who are all pupils at Thornton Grammar School, and cannot begin to describe the fear that lives with me knowing they are dicing with death every time they try to cross Thornton Road.

The school appears to have done everything in its power to campaign and influence local decision-makers.

The Council's latest response to another parent several months ago that the crossings would be installed "before the end of this financial year" is no longer good enough.

Maxine Hayman, Shelley Grove, Fairweather Green, Bradford 8.

SIR - Statistics can prove anything, and the recent claims that crime is going down by 20 per cent epitomises this. They must think we are all nave!

If the statisticians had claimed that reported crimes were going down by 20 per cent because of the futility of it, or that recorded crimes were going down at this rate because of creative accounting by the police, it would have been entirely plausible.

After all, it's been a long time since every minor crime was recorded and counted as a crime statistic, and the victims of crime reported it. So don't insult the intelligence of a beleaguered public who have to walk streets that have become less safe by the week.

The police balk at talk of no-go areas because it reflects on their effectiveness, but there is increasing evidence in Bradford at least that these areas are multiplying.

It's grossly irresponsible to sweep this under the carpet, rather than admit it and prevent the hapless visitor to these areas coming to grief.

Reg Nelson, Westfield Road, Heaton.

SIR - Muslim mullahs urged that two Christians be killed for every dead Muslim in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The terrorists said they will make Pakistan a graveyard for Christians.

On October 28 a revenge killing took place of 18 children, women and men, including a priest, in St Dominics Church in Pakistan on their holy day.

Killing innocent people on their holy day is not Islam. It is non-Islamic in character.

The massacre of the Christians in Pakistan is a severe message to the international community and leaders of the free nations to save the millions of Christians in Pakistan.

Muslim religious laws in Pakistan dominate the constitution, justice system and culture. It poses a great threat, creating insecurity, injustice, intolerance, religious hate against Christians, as well as the potential threat to destabilise the nation of Pakistan.

We are concerned about the safety of millions of Christians who are living under threat and fear.

We urge the government of Pakistan to now prevent this from happening again.

We, the Asian Christians from the UK condemn this evil act against the innocent Christians and pray for tolerance, justice and peace in Pakistan.

G Dutt, chairman, Pakistan Asian Christian Welfare Organisation Bradford, Armidale Way, Bradford 2.

SIR - War in Afghanistan is not the answer, or in any part of the world. There is a strong and growing movement against this war in the US.

And all over Europe and the rest of the world there are vigils and demonstrations happening regularly. Many people question the actions and motives of the US and UK Governments.

We are all different. We each belong to the human race and in the end everybody is the same.

The children of the world are the future and a peaceful world is possible. Every Monday, 5pm to 6pm, Centenary Square, Bradford, the Stop the War Coalition meets.

John Reddish, Brantwood Road, Heaton.

SIR - The claim from Fairclough Homes, the developers of the Waterhouse and Denbigh quarry at Wrose, that the non-removal of the road block in Bolton Hall Road, Wrose, is delaying construction and threatening jobs (T&A, October 29) is not the case.

The original planning approval in 1995 decided that while residential access would be via Bolton Hall Road, Wrose, construction traffic would have to enter and leave the site via Bolton Hall Road, Bolton Woods.

The road block removal is premature and should only be lifted when the new estate is ready for occupation. On the face of it the planners have done a behind-the-scenes deal with the developer to re-route heavy construction traffic through a pleasant residential area.

Those affected by this apparent about-turn ought to make their concern known when the traffic regulation to re-open the road is advertised.

R J Lacey, Wrose Road, Bradford.

SIR - Regarding the report about an "Access row to Quarry Site" (T&A, October 29). This is not only a question of access.

An area of Bradford which already has too many houses for the roads will be overloaded still more.

Councillor Miller states the decision was made democratically. He wouldn't know what democracy was if it tapped him on the shoulder. He backs overloading Wrose access and outlet to this site, and yet the postcode is Bolton Woods.

This decision wants to go to a Government Omnbudsman as councillors etc are getting nowhere.

Michael Breen, Bolton Hall Road, Wrose.

SIR - I agree completely with what Malcolm Firth says about the visibility of buses from the Interchange. I think the problem is not the glass but the lighting. Maybe the lighting engineers can come up with a solution.

Bernard Crowe, Royds Hall Avenue, Bradford 6

SIR - Who do I ring when I am sitting in traffic on Killinghall Road and Harrogate Road and "island hoppers" overtake on the opposite side of the road? There have been so many near misses.

M A Gardener, Rufford Avenue, Leeds.

SIR - On Friday, October 19, I spotted an injured pigeon lying in Thornton Road, Bradford. Getting out of my car I picked the pigeon up. In the car in front of mine was a young man in a blue sporty-type car. I asked him for the use of his mobile phone. He rang the RSPCA and after conversation with them and between myself and him he kindly offered to take the bird to Mount Street for me. Unfortunately the pigeon died, but at least we gave it a chance.

I would like to say a big thank you to this young man for his kindness and help. What a credit he is to the young generation.

Mrs L Priestley, Oakleigh Avenue, Clayton.

SIR - What an interesting article by Sarah Walsh (School Matters, T&A, November 5) about the Victor Street mosque - and the description of the "gleaming ranks of computers paid for by cash from the Manningham and Girlington SRB," right.

I note, too, the comments of Mr Bashir, who is quoted as saying that "We need help and resources from the LEA". Good luck to him.

Those of us whose children and grandchildren are being taught in decaying Victorian and Edwardian schools are quite envious about the cash lavished by the SRB on the computers, and would like to see "gleaming ranks" of them in the decrepit buildings I've mentioned.

Many of us, I would think, still entertain the old-fashioned view, that religious education, outside school, should be funded by the children's parents and religious communities, not by hand-outs from the already over-stretched resources of the LEA, or for that matter, by the SRB.

Robert Hughes, Manor Gardens, Cullingworth