I refer to the article "Plans under way to clean up High Street" (Guardian, May 15).

I have personally never accepted that Streatham High Road deserved the title "Worst Street in Britain".

Nor do I place much credence on the sort of survey which determined it.

However, as the article indicates, there is evidence of improvements being made.

As well as the removal of chewing gum left on the pavement and the repainting of the green metal bins and the railings and lamp posts mentioned in the article, side streets are now being swept regularly and potholes are, albeit slowly, being filled.

What a change from a couple of years ago when Streatham was very much an area neglected by the council.

Congratulations to the new LibDem/Conservative administration for spending some of our money to improve Streatham.

In the past Streatham has not benefited from an equitable proportion of the rates to which residents here have contributed a considerable amount.

I am greatly encouraged by Councillor Julian Heather's comments, "Our primary long-term aim in the next 10 years is to get a good range of quality shops back."

We can at last hope that, following long neglect of the previous Labour administration, more will now be done for Streatham.

J L WARD

Chair, Woodbourne Avenue Residents' Association

Streatham

May 29, 2003 12:30