YOUR items on the construction of the Gem Viaduct to save cyclists from having to ride down a hill, cross a stream and ride/walk up the other side make interesting reading.

But I wonder if the money would have been better spent on building those self same cyclists a safe cycleway alongside the A386 between Yelverton Roundabout and the Plessey Roundabout. There is ample room on each side of the road and the cycleway would do much to reduce the risk of accidents on it.

It would be interesting to have a comparison of the number of cyclists killed/injured on this notorious stretch of road, say over the past six years, with the number of sprained ankles etc caused by cyclists (and walkers) having to clamber down and then up the sides of the Walkham Valley in the vicinity of the Gem Bridge in the same period.

Peter Lansdell

HAVING been away from Tavistock over recent months I was impressed on my return to see the work progressing on the new bridge spanning the Walkham Valley, but saddened to see that the still relatively new wooden footbridge beneath it had been removed.  

This was a delightful example of wooden construction and I assume that this was removed to improve access to works around the new bridge.

I do hope, however, that there are plans to return it to its rightful place on completion of building works in order to let walking in the Walkham Valley continue to be a pleasure.

Andrew Burgess

Glanville Road

Tavistock