HAVING made a formal complaint to the Police over obstruction of the road by cars queuing for Somerfield and being told I should complain to West Devon Council not the Police, I wish to add a few thoughts to those raised in the letter of complaint concerning this in last week's Times.

I have never understood why we, as taxpayers, should pay extortionate amounts to so-called experts when they are devoid of any common-sense. Placing the two major stores and a school in the quarter of the town that is isolated from the main housing developments is crazy, particularly when the isolation is due to a river and the town centre and access is by a single, small road.

When you accept that Waitrose is banking on attracting shoppers from outside you have to be surprised that it wasn't built opposite Barton Nurseries or behind Bostock's, at least that would have allowed more than one access road, removed the need for all shoppers to drive through the centre and split the traffic flow.

As we are stuck with the situation I would like to make a suggestion that shouldn't be too expensive, or inconvenient for most of the town.

Suppose we pedestrianise the town centre from the lights at Mill Road to the banks have a single lane of traffic and a counter-clockwise, one-way, system back through Mill Road, another, clockwise one past Waitrose and the council offices to join up with the link road by Bostocks.

As this would require a new road , we would need to buy the field, sheds and scrap yard. This would give the route for the road and bridge, it would also provide land for a bus station/coach/car park and possibly a central picnic area for visitors.

The town centre could have disabled parking, a few trees and some seats. Add crossings by the post office and school, a 3.5 tonne limit on Mill Road to the school and all of James Street, except for access, 7.5 tonne limit from the Nat West around to the school and we might have some free traffic-flow.

Large vehicles would stay out of town, visitors who were passing would do also, those that did come in would have access to a car park and shops within a short walk. The small schoolchildren would have a footbridge and safe walk from the bus station and the drop of point for cars also there, or instead of the old West Devon Council shed.

Of course I'm no expert, but I really cannot see much wrong with this, can you? It would allow two lanes of vehicles past Somerfield and Waitrose that should avoid the chaos likely if Waitrose does get the customers it expects.

Mr Nettleton

Park Hayes

Inwardleigh