THE recent traffic chaos at the Whitchurch rural gateway, as reported in the Times, came as little surprise to members of the parish council.

The parish council wrote to Devon County Council warning that this would happen.

As a result of the accident, the chaos caused gridlock as far as Walkhampton and Ward Bridge and one local resident was stuck in the traffic jam for over an hour. It was only when local people opened their gates and allowed cars to turn around on their land that the situation was resolved.

I must also take issue with Mr Atkins? assertion that the gateway was ?democratically installed for the benefit of the community? as stated in your article.

When the gateway was first installed, the parish council was not consulted in any way. The county council just imposed the changes on the parish.

Bearing in mind that this scheme is opposed by the parish council, a number of Tavistock and West Devon councillors and most local residents, it is difficult to see how Mr Atkins can consider this either democratic or beneficial.

The parish council believes that the gateway should be removed as soon as possible and that no further traffic calming measures should be introduced without first consulting local people.

Ian Walton

Chairman

Plasterdown Parish Council

IT WAS not the first time, as I know from experience, and, sadly, it will not be the last time, that an accident has closed the A386 between Yelverton and Tavistock, with resulting traffic chaos that was made much worse that it should have been because of the presence of the Whitchurch ?Gateway?.

Seemingly the police blame motorists for not giving way on the narrowed stretch of road, but if there is no-one available to manage the traffic flows there and within Horrabridge, then congestion is inevitable ? as it was on the day.

Perhaps county councillor David Morrish, to whom I have sent a copy of this letter, and the county?s spokesman, Graham Atkins, might care to explain, in the circumstances described, how long it would take an emergency ambulance out of Tavistock to reach the freedom of Yelverton and then Derriford Hospital, and what the outcome might be for the patient on board. And, of course, patients travel by private car to Derriford for necessary treatment ? many regularly.

Mr Atkins identifies democracy as the creator of the gateway, and in so doing he seems to have overlooked the rather more relevant term of obduracy. Used properly experience should be a great tutor, Mr Atkins.

John Hobbs

Down Road

Tavistock