I TOTALLY agree with the sentiments of your editorial about flood defence funding (February 14).

Your last paragraph touched a nerve. It suggested that if the same happened on the Thames there might be a different reaction and the funding would not be a "regional" issue.

Some years ago the flood defences of London were substantially upgraded at huge cost. The most obvious manifestation of this is the Thames Flood Barrier. There has not been flooding in the capital since.

About ten years ago their was flooding in Windsor. So what has happened? A huge, and very costly, flood relief channel has recently been built all the way from upstream of Maidenhead to downstream of Windsor through a relatively congested area. A similar channel could take excess flood water round York at a fraction of the cost. This, I suspect, proves your point.

On a related issue. The Windsor channel went underneath both the M4 and the dual carriageway linking Windsor and the M4. These underpasses were constructed without reverting to single -lane working at peak periods.

Copmanthorpe, eat your heart out.

M R Goodwin,

Lime Tree Avenue

Easingwold,

York.

Updated: 11:10 Thursday, February 21, 2002