WE ARE approaching something of a watershed in the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Next weekend's opening up of most of the Lake District's Fells is a major step on the road back to normality.

All through the period in which this disease has ravaged livestock farming and tourism, it has been difficult to reconcile their apparently conflicting interests.

But the opening up of these key areas shows the two can work together for the common good.

As the continuing and worrying outbreaks in the Penrith area testify, the crisis is not over yet.

But the lifting of access restrictions in some key areas is a milestone on the road to recovery.

It is hoped that the spirit of co-operation which allowed this step to take place will continue in the days to come.

If some good can come out of such a sorry saga, it should be that the area will emerge even stronger, and with a better understanding of the intimate, and in normal times mutually beneficial, relationship between the two biggest industries in the region.

Parking peril - THIS newspaper's Park at your Peril campaign had an immediate impact with the traffic flowing freely through Kendal on Monday morning, and not an illegal parker in sight.

As the week wore on, bad habits returned, unfortunately.

Our intrepid reporter received a bewildering array of excuses from those he confronted, from locals blatantly disregarding regulations to visiting lorry drivers who claimed to have no choice.

They had to meet company schedules and there was nowhere else to unload.

But even some of these transgressors gave their blessing to our campaign, and passers-by actually cheered the reporter on.

Surely if our unofficial action can have such public support, why can't the authorities impose a simple solution to Kendal's traffic delays? The idea of a council official to act as a champion for all the different schemes is a good start.

New-style traffic wardens would be even better.

Backing the bus - TODAY we start a new fund-raising campaign in aid of a worthy cause which will enrich the lives of pupils in the area with special needs.

Within a fortnight Sandgate School, which does such sterling work for pupils with severe learning difficulties, will lose access to its minibus.

The Variety Club has promised to buy them a 17-seater, if the school can raise £7,000 of its own.

The bus is used to take the children on a whole range of activities, all of which support the school's pro-integration approach.

Getting out and about is a vital part of the children's education.

The foot-and-mouth crisis has lost untold millions to the local economy, but even so we are hopeful generous readers will respond to such a good cause.

To do it by the start of the next term, in September, would be a great boost to pupils and the staff.