ON Thursday, August 25, an article appeared in this newspaper concerning the proposed closure of Rainhill Library.

However, due to limited space, this was a truncated version of the story that can be viewed online. In the online version, a council spokesman is quoted as saying that Thatto Heath Library will be available to former users of Rainhill Library and that those without access to a vehicle could catch a 10A bus to get to Thatto Heath.

All very well if you happen to live on or near the 10A bus route - but what about those who, for instance live at the far end of the village near Rainhill Stoops? They would have either to walk almost a mile or wait for the J61 to take them to Rainhill Bridge to catch the 10A.

The council’s ‘original’ plan was that Rainhill residents could obtain their reading matter from Chester Lane Library until it was pointed out that there is no direct bus route from Rainhill and that those without transport would have to catch two buses to get there.

So they have now come up with Thatto Heath. If it wasn’t so serious it would be laughable; The council’s plans for libraries is ill-conceived and poorly thought through.

The residents of Rainhill and those of Billinge, Rainford and Parr, whose libraries are also due to close, deserve better.

Brian Renshall,

Rainhill resident and library user