I WAS very pleased to be able to associate myself with the local Labour Party initiative concerning half-price evening Travelcards.

However, we must be aware that all initiatives concerning local rail transport invariably come from "us", in the guise of a local political party, a users' association or some other community group.

Take Walthamstow Central. Even if one is not frightened to use public transport in the dark evenings, emerging from the Victoria Line can only be described as a deeply unpleasant experience.

The route to the narrow exit is lined by drinking youths and ticket touts and if one decides to undertake the long wait for a Chingford train, one remains surrounded by these.

"We" make palliative suggestions like evening Travelcards. Meanwhile, the three main agents responsible for this cancer at the heart of the borough West Anglia Great Northern, London Underground, and Railtrack (if it still exists in any real sense) leave us to get on with it.

WAGN could do three things very quickly: put on more evening trains, which would increase the flow of legitimate users; introduce its own local Waltham Forest cheap off-peak return (in addition to the new Travelcard); and provide staff on and off the trains.

IVOR CHAPMAN,

Woodside Park Avenue,

Walthamstow