Your article about the new police Tetra radio system, known as "Airwave" quotes a police spokesperson saying it is a better system (18/3/04). This is not the view of all. Without going to tender and without research into the best system or the safety or risks of any system being considered, the Government chose the £1.9 billion Tetra. They argued this system was the only option. The Fire Services and all but one of the Ambulance services disagreed, refusing the system for reasons that include: unnecessary cost; awareness of the hazards where Tetra was in use; handsets liable to ignite flammable gases; fears for a total breakdown in communications as occurred in Southampton April 2002 if all services were linked to the same system; no significant operational advantages over the old system; not secure (as found in the U.S.) and the health hazards being reported were not acceptable. The current generation of mobile phones using an existing, comprehensive network, far exceeds the capabilities of the Tetra system. Additionally, Tetra handsets are only viable in proximity to repeaters in cars, while mobile phones can acquire network aerials without boosters. Tetra meets ICNIRP guidelines, but there are huge doubts about these guidelines. For example there is a discrepancy of nearly 10,000 times between these guidelines and the Salzburg agreement which was signed by 19 scientists representing 9 countries. The ICNIRP guidelines are also wholly inadequate as they only consider the heating effect of the masts on human tissues, yet an enormous amount of scientific literature shows often replicable biological effects that are likely to have serious health consequences, occurring at levels far below that which causes heating. Tetra has a carrier frequency of approximately 400 MHz. This translates to a wavelength of 75cm and means that children make very good aerials to this signal because of their small size and, correspondingly will absorb more of this radiation than adults. Tetra also pulses which means a much more aggressive effect on the body. Some illnesses found by research to be related to this exposure include: heart problems, interference with bone marrow, tumours, skin problems, increased risk of leukaemia, childhood cancer, sleep problems, depression, memory loss and loss of concentration, neurological illnesses, fatigue, miscarriage and infertility. We are putting police using the handsets at risk and those living or working near masts. We should halt Tetra now.

Carol Kambites, Gloucestershire Green Party.