I AM a very brave woman — brave enough, possibly, to be awarded a medal — because I am writing a few positive words about the much-maligned rural gateway between Whitchurch village and Grenofen. Some words of praise even!

I live alongside the stretch of road between the Whitchurch Post Office and 'the gateway', where there is no footpath and a particularly bad 'blind' bend.

Visibility (an issue on the 'rural gateway') is also very bad for drivers pulling out of driveways, gates and garages in this area.

Surely, this gateway was partially introduced to help us — by making traffic slow down before it zoomed into Whitchurch — and to try to discourage so many commuters from using this as a 'rat-run' instead of using the main road into Plymouth.

I have noted with interest that many of those who oppose the 'gateway' so vociferously do not actually live past the Whitchurch Post Office and so do not really need to use that particular stretch of road.

They have access down Anderton Lane or Pixon Lane onto the main road to Plymouth.

In fact, it has been the insistence of so many drivers upon using this particular stretch of road through the 'old' part of the village that has caused the problem in the first place — including many heavy lorries!

Alright, I do agree that said rural gateway is far from perfect — messy even. Rumble strips would have been much better (probably cheaper too).

But — and I speak as one who has had several 'near misses' when walking from my home to the Whitchurch Post Office — it has slowed the traffic down.

And that was the idea — wasn't it?

Mrs Lorraine Turner

244 Whitchurch Road

Tavistock

ALTHOUGH you must feel the Whitchurch Gateway issue has been flogged to death I consider there are two matters relating to this that have not been considered. These are as follows: —

I question the legality of the 30mph limit. As I understand it the initial 30 limit sign needs to be illuminated and there needs to be a minimum level of street lighting for the limit to be effective.

It is therefore probably the case that anyone entering Tavistock from this direction would not pass a legal 30mph warning and therefore could travel up to 60mph legally all along the Whitchurch Road. I cannot say this for certain but it is likely to be correct. I invite comment.

Secondly, this is the first 'traffic calming' system I have come across which does not force the traffic to change direction.

It is possible to follow a straight line down the centre of the stretch if no traffic is coming towards you. It seems to rely upon traffic meeting in the middle to work.

Frankly I question the competence of the 'experts' who are used. We are expected to take at face value the declaration that the designers of this gateway are 'experts'. What are their qualifications? I think we should be told!

Brian A A Trew

46 Chaucer Road

Tavistock