I WAS disappointed when I read the article ""1m yellow line 'cost £5,000'""(Gazetter, January 31). The story contained the claim that a one-metre strip of yellow line in Greenman Street cost £5,000, and this figure is both grossly inaccurate and misleading.

I WAS disappointed when I read the article "1m yellow line 'cost £5,000'" (Gazetter, January 31).The story contained the claim that a one-metre strip of yellow line in Greenman Street cost £5,000, and this figure is both grossly inaccurate and misleading.

If you work out the cost per metre, it actually cost 98p to paint. Even if you include consultation, legal costs and officer time - which Islington's Labour group purports to have done - the figure would still be nowhere near £5,000.

The road marking in question was introduced as part of a much bigger residents' parking scheme in the area and it is wrong to imply we are introducing yellow lines purely to make money or catch motorists out.

These lines were put in to divide different types of parking bays, so that motorists are less likely to park in the wrong bay, because we all know how frustrating making a mistake like that can be.

The story implied that we are wasting extortionate amounts of money on road markings, and not investing in the state of our roads - when the reverse is true. This council is investing millions of pounds this year in resurfacing and fixing potholes. - Councillor Lucy Watt (Liberal Democrat), Islington Council's executive member for environment, Town Hall, Upper Street, N1.