With regard to the recent letter from West Sussex Council's leader, Henry Smith, defending the investment in the Fastway bus system in Crawley (February 6), I think councillor Smith is incorrect to say none of the money wasted on Fastway came from Council Tax payers.

All the council's money comes from the taxpayer. It is collected locally, then donated by central Government, whether it is collected from parking fees or payments for using local facilities.

I have a letter from the council detailing the funding for Fastway and it shows £9.3 million came from local authorities - that is, from local taxes and approved borrowing - and central Government put £19.5 million into the fund.

Does this second amount not also come from the taxpayer, locally and nationally?

Or was Mr Smith's money wafted down from heaven on a sunbeam?

It is also the taxpayers who paid for new Fastway roads, unless the council gave the road space to the bus company.

Perhaps it rents it or sold it to the bus company?

In which case, did the council ask the taxpayer if it could give our roadspace away to a private company? Will the bus company pay for the road to go back into public ownership when the venture fails?

And is there any payback on this scheme? For example, does the council share in any of the profits or losses and what is the expected payback time?

In Mr Smith's letter, he stated it was crystal clear no money came from Council Tax. Well it's not crystal clear to me.

-Chris Rackley, Burgess Hill