IN response to the various recent letters concerning the 'Rural Gateway' I can provide ten years' worth of correspondence (200 + letters and e-mails), articles, photos and even a video of travel through this horror.

It was erected as a cheap (?) traffic calming measure and now costs the tax payer a huge amount. The initial cost was estimated at £5,000 but I was told, cost in excess of £45,000. The annual maintenance bill must be huge as there is constant replacement of reflective signs (£50+ each) and the granite boulders. The so called cycle track is a puncture-ridden overgrown path, so cyclists don't use it and they now have a purpose-built one in the valley.

The real trouble is that, as with most traffic systems and Devon County Council's traffic management schemes in particular, they will never reverse them because it means losing face, despite the fact that there have been some 16 serious accidents between Grenofen and the crossroads at Whitchurch during its lifetime. As no person was killed then the reports were not archived.

When there was a multiple accident at Grenofen a couple of weeks ago on the A38, the traffic was diverted through the 'Gateway' and this caused long tailbacks. I and many others have been trying to get this abomination removed for the last ten years but I'm afraid that when it has been 'monitored' it is found to be satisfactory. Monitoring means looking at it for a few minutes and reporting back. No detailed study has been done officially. Unofficially I have submitted a practical scheme on several occasions but to no avail.

Remove it now and just put a pavement (even if it starts nowhere and ends nowhere), for the few walkers who walk in to and from Whitchuch.

Ian Kilpatrick

Tavistock

via email