THE road on which the Rural Gateway has been perpetrated has been, for the last 25 years of my regular use — a delightful flower-bordered country lane.

Heavy usage has only occurred during the morning and evening commuter runs from Tavistock and Whitchurch. For the remainder of each day it has had its traditional medieval role providing access to Tavistock for those settlements on the northern bank of the River Walkham, ie Sampford Spiney, N Horrabridge, Grenofen. Rarely, during this time, have I seen either walkers or cyclists.

This has now changed. The current misuse of public money to the tune of £20,000 has created a dirty, ecologically damaged, lethal stretch of road.

It cannot be negotiated with any degree of safety by vehicles en route for the cattle market. Car drivers run the risk of either destroying the mud embankments, impaling their vehicles on the vertical granite setts or facing the possibility of a head-on collision should drivers approaching fail to understand who should give way.

Moreover, should a similar accident, such as occurred at Yelverton last week, block the Tavistock road, there would be major problems for any of the emergency services.

There is a further, obviously unanticipated, knock-on effect. Unwilling to risk the hazards of the new 'Gateway' increasing traffic now seeks access to Tavistock via the Tavistock road.

How long will it be I wonder before traffic lights are found necessary at the Horrabridge junction or the Grenofen junction? How long before the traffic jams in Horrabridge result in double yellow lines along all its main roads? How long before the centre of Tavistock finally blocks and its economy collapses?

The simplest, the most democratic and frankly the most honourable solution, would be an admission that the experts who planned the gateway were wrong. Then a return to the previous delightful country lane with a few unobtrusive but effective sleeping policemen to calm the traffic.

Will this happen? Perhaps the electorate should reflect on the intransigence of their elected representatives over Bedford Square which has so efficiently decimated the prosperity of Tavistock.

Ann Cartwright

The Old Granary

Horrabridge