While most of Europe is getting to grips with the euro, our own coinage still causes confusion in some instances.

Yesterday, a Finnish language student was collecting my children from school in Charlton.

Despite it being dark, wet and cold, she was refused entry onto a bus to Lee because the 50p piece she tried to use was "out of date".

The coin in question, which she received earlier that afternoon in change from a local shop, was a bona fide 50p piece but had apparently been withdrawn from circulation.

Because of this, she had to get off the bus and walk home several miles with the small children aged five and six.

The driver showed no compassion for the fact she had two children with her and the weather was bad, nor for the fact she was a guest in our country and totally unaware the coin had been updated.

London Transport's response was the driver was under no obligation to accept the money although it would still be accepted by a bank.

If this is what we can come to expect from our bus drivers, then perhaps our transport system is in more trouble than we thought.

CHRIS GUINDI

Upwood Road

Lee