Sir: With regard to some of the current health scares, I would be obliged if the pundits were to advise me on the efficiency, or otherwise, of looking at the forthcoming eclipse through a glass of red wine DAVID SWAN Stoke on Trent,Staffordshire. Sir: Donald Macintyre (Comment, 29 July) states one of the fundamental truths of transport: motorists will endure almost anything rather than use public transport. John Prescott is indeed dependent on local authorities to solve the transport "crisis", but it won't happen by the public sector investing in public transport. Local authorities have to adopt what are euphemistically known as traffic management strategies In plainer language, this means restricting the car. This is the only known way of solving the problem of too many cars, without ridiculous expense.

For the last five years, both this government and the previous one have been quietly urging local authorities to do just this, but with only gradual success; Oxford is one of the few real examples. A more fervent anti-car policy might well co-ordinate the efforts of local authorities and get them to deliver faster. It has been evident that the Prime Minister is not convinced that the car needs restricting Equally, he is convinced that something needs to be done. Perhaps the reason for Gus Macdonald's appointment as Transport Minister is to survey some difficult political terrain. Sometimes you need friends to tell you difficult truths.RICHARD MANNOxford. Sir: Norman Foster's claim (letter, 3 August) that privatisation of air-traffic control is not an air-safety issue is a little naive.

The airline companies with which he compares the situation have competition to control their financial attitudes and policies Air traffic control is a virtual monopoly MERVYN BENFORD Banbury, Oxfordshire. WHILE MAKING it ever more difficult for human beings to enter Britain, the Government has moved to make it easier for dogs Just so. British restrictions on the free movement of pets have long been iniquitous, if not inhumane. But if dogs can be tagged, why not humans? Instead of all the immigration and refugee procedures, all would-be entrants should need is a tag from their point of origin confirming their political status and their state of health.. THE EUROSCEPTICS' united front is united no longer. Conrad Black, owner of The Daily Telegraph, has until now been a rallying point for the Eurosceptics - arguably second in influence only to his fellow-tycoon, Rupert Murdoch Now Mr Black indicates that it is "time to rethink Europe". He talks of a "Damascene conversion" of the German government to the virtues of the free market The truly Damascene conversion may be Mr Black's own.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroder faces problems within his own party Like Tony Blair, he can cope with that. Meanwhile, Mr Schroder finds himself an international darling - praised by the usually cautious Wall Street Journal for the changes he wants to introduce. Mr Schroder's government is, in effect, picking up where Helmut Kohl's conservative administration left off in attempting to bring Germany's public spending under control. Germany has some of the highest labour costs in the world, and a uniquely generous welfare system. Increasingly, Germans see the connection between high costs and high unemployment.Germany is slow to change direction. But when changes are under way, the political consensus assures their durability.

Liberalising reforms may also be easier to force through at a time when the German economy - whose imminent collapse has been predicted at regular intervals in recent years - is again looking set for recovery. Meanwhile, the euro, whose performance was so sickly during its first six months, has perked up considerably.Germany has successfully adapted to uncomfortable new realities before, and is likely to do so again. With a strong Germany and a strong euro in prospect, for Britain to remain on the sidelines now would be counter- productive as never before.Mr Black argues for a harmonisation that "could take the form of the Thatcherisation of Europe". Put like that, few European leaders would be ready to sign up. A gentle version of Thatcherisation - where privatisation is seen as an opportunity, not a threat - is, however, already taking place across Europe The powerful Mr Black has noticed the change.