LIKE many other residents of Grenofen, I read your report (February 26) on the latest debacle concerning the absurd obstruction known as the ?Rural Gateway? with mounting incredulity and indignation.

Are we to understand that local democracy is properly served when a Public Highways project, conceived, funded and executed at county level without appropriate local consultation; a project that then fails to deliver any local benefits, may be permitted to continue on the casting vote of a county councillor in defiance of local council groups who are united in their opposition to the scheme?

Similarly, are we expected to simply accept that the cumulative experience and concerns of local people, as reported by the parish councils, may be casually dismissed on the basis of Cllr Cann?s limited period of observation?

Cllr Madigan?s statement that the Gateway was intended to replicate a ?country road? betrays her failure to grasp the fact that 18th century traffic routes, however it might satisfy County Hall?s bucolic fervour, do not suit the requirements of a busy contemporary transport system.

As an example of this ?style over function? mindset; why in an age of impact absorbing barriers, did the designers of the Gateway see fit to festoon the length of the passing points with solid granite pillars at car door-line level?

Did anyone conduct a suitable risk assessment on this and other aspects of the design (like the venturi effect on restricting a flow . . . ) or did someone?s desperate need to perform this bizarre experiment in road management override driver safety considerations?

As a final point; despite Cllr Madigan?s assertion that the Police ?support the scheme?, I understand that when a similar scheme was introduced at Chudleigh some years ago, the Police condemned the project on the grounds of emergency access and driver safety. It would be interesting to hear the official line on this matter now ? does the introduction of blind spots and reducing the width of a road really make it safer?

Andy Nelson

Branson Park

Grenofen