REGARDING the report by Alison Stephenson (July 8):

It is good to see West Devon Borough Cllr Ken Williams, and Devon County Cllr Christine Marsh, both intend to continue banging their drums? so to speak, following the No Relief Road announcement by Devon County Council traffic officers.

However, to read:

1, A relief road for Okehampton would be well used for an hour or two hours a day, but, pretty empty for the remaining 22, and

2, Devon County Council agree there were congestion hotspots, but these only last for periods of about half an hour at rush hour times, and

3, If we suddenly get congestion lasting two hours then it will be reconsidered.

Suggests, does it not, that Devon County Council?s representation may be dismissive of matters that are serious, and of major concern, to people living in the Okehampton area and to those who would want to visit.

There are many who would like to visit Okehampton, this historic town, on their way to and from Cornwall, but avoid the place, due only to our traffic problems. People talk and so the word gets around.

Folk in the South East of England find the heavy traffic situation there, more tolerable, as vehicles do keep moving. Conversely, our situation is too often at a standstill. A state of frustration soon starts to set in and people remember West Devon for the wrong reasons, leading to the comment: ?Oh, never again? and pass by, to visit other towns, until perhaps the year 2011.

Finally, with due respect to Mr George and Devon County Council, I have to say, that the panacea, is obviously to keep traffic on the move and to that end, Okehampton requires action far sooner than the projected timescale.

Donald Bibey

Okemoor Park

Okehampton

WITH regard to the front page item (July 8) concerning a relief road to ease traffic congestion, and adverse affect on trading, I have the answer to the problem.

Replace the left turn lane for traffic heading east at the White Hart junction in West Street. Reset the traffic lights at the White Hart for two-way traffic flow again. Remove the last two sets of traffic lights installed, ie the North Road access and the Mill Lane car park. Re-open the access from the High Street to James Street.

Before the school car park charges were massively increased, I wrote to the council pointing out that this would discourage outlying area motorists from shopping in Okehampton, in particular the older folk carrying shopping.

So the answer is to dig up Waitrose and put it on the Exeter Road Industrial Estate (where it should have been built to balance out the motor and pedestrian traffic), restore the area to a car and coach park to encourage visitors and tourists, set parking charges to maintain the parking areas, and not to make money for the council coffers.

Barry Downton

Lickwith

Monkokehampton