No emergency problem at AA

No one at the AA would dispute John Astbury’s claim (Letters, June 18) that the coastguard is the first emergency service to those who need it.

However, since the ASA judgment in 1993 (not exactly “a little while ago”, as Mr Astbury suggests), the AA’s “To our members, we’re the fourth emergency service” has served us and our members well.

More important, it has not been misunderstood.

Over the five years of the campaign, we have no record of anyone calling the AA in the mistaken belief that we could provide help better and more logically given by the police, fire, ambulance – and coastguard services.

Maggie Rowlands

PR manager

Automobile Association

Basingstoke

Hampshire