I RESPOND to the report detailing the restrictions to be applied to Florence Road, Callington, at the behest of Cllr Long to indicate that the road is unsuitable for HGVs.

It is not at all clear why this course of action has been taken now, bearing in mind that the Callington (including Kelly Bray) Town Plan 2005 clearly makes the policy statement 'Upgrading of Florence Road is needed to divert HGVs and through traffic from the town centre'.

What is being done now is clearly diametrically opposed to that vision. The road, as many will remember, was used for many months when Back Lane was closed for sewage works and to the credit of Highways, the main stretch that was resurfaced for that event is almost as good as the day it was laid (about 20 years ago).

To say that the road is not 'suitable' for the current vehicle use of 1,500 vehicles a day when over ten times that number pass through the town daily, which actually is in places unsuitable for HGVs, frankly, is questionable. It is only good fortune, not to say a miracle, that there has not been a very serious incident in the area of the school or Newport.

Having adequate pavements in the town would, I think, be a much higher priority than the 'nice to have' pavement on Florence Road, although that could be part of the upgrading.

The restriction proposed will benefit very few to the detriment of the many — displaced traffic has to go somewhere, either Station Road or through the town.

Some may know that there was an eastern route bypass planned to commence in 2006 in the transport policies and programme — surely what is needed now is a resurrection of that plan (which accords with the Town Plan) and implementation when funding becomes available.

That, in my view, would undoubtedly be in the best long term interests of both Callington and Kelly Bray and with a bypass, there would be no need for a one-way system and the town would be a much better, and safer, place in which to live.

M C Green

Saltash Road, Callington