Regarding the routes of canals through Swindon (SA November 2) I’m reminded that many years ago I came up with a scheme which envisaged canalising the rivers Ray and Cole.

This would make a canal loop from the River Thames around Swindon, hence ‘the Swindon Loop Scheme’.

Coate Water would be incorporated in this scheme, making Coate and Swindon the head of the Thames.

Like all good tongue-in-cheek ideas, it has genuine aspects of feasibility about it, borne of realising the implausibility of running the original canal line through the town or linking the Cricklade canal to a town centre junction.

The logic of a canal line along the back of Coate is indeed part of current aspirations, but as much as I admire the work of the Wilts & Berks group, for once the council (Forward Swindon) is showing some sense in recognising that a northern link-up in the town centre is not on. Look for another route, folks – perhaps to Mannington and Kingshill.

And why oh why not look at running the Kingshill cut into the west of the Parade? It is Wharf Green, for heaven’s sake. Most of the line is still there.

What a wow factor that could be, a marina focus with the possibilities of a Granville Street development adjacent. So much less disruption, with work phases as and when budgets allow, and a wide enough line to sort out the utilities problems.

What planners’ agenda won’t give this serious consideration?

Keith Brain Upham Road Swindon

Eu drives us mad

On December 21, the EU’s Gender Directive comes into force. This means that insurers will no longer be able to take gender into account, so women’s car insurance premiums will rise, despite them being better insurance risks (not necessarily better drivers). This is yet more politically correct madness from Brussels which our government has no option but to implement. What has this to do with the Common Market we voted (misguidedly) to join? The bloated, interfering, self-serving bureaucracy which is the European Commission seems to have unlimited scope to run our everyday lives and is accountable to nobody.

It’s time we recognise the EU will regulate and legislate itself into a state of uncompetitive irrelevance in the 21st century. Action to distance ourselves from the impending train crash is overdue. Graham Price Turnham Green Swindon

No silence in court

I had to go to support someone at court in September and have since complained about the volume of the tannoy system.

It is all right in the main part of the building but it gets very loud in the interview rooms.

It would seem Swindon Courts use the same volume all over the court main area and small rooms.

This excess volume of noise in the interview room caused me to have problems as it shook my body from head to toe and made me feel ill for sometime afterwards, so much so I said should I need to come again I would leave if there was a speaker in the room.

I also wear hearing aids which makes the noise even worse.

I am told no one has complained before me.

This I cannot understand because if not there will be a lot of people suffering with hearing problems.

If you have you been affected by this then please contact your MP.

Mr L White Mulberry Grove Rodbourne Cheney

A right royal holiday

I see the annual security bill for royalty and their hangers on, including the Middletons, has reached well past the astronomical figure of £128 million.

Meanwhile Charles and Camilla are in Papua New Guinea on ‘tour’, away from recession-hit Britain, cuts, cuts, cuts... and more to come.

For ‘tour’ read ‘yet another holiday’ at the taxpayers’ expense.

J Adams Bloomsbury Swindon