I REFER to the article (June 10) headed ?Rural gateway works well?.
I would like to ask if through your offices it would be possible to solicit an explanation from Mr Brian George for his statement ?that he drives it regularly and it works well?. I can only assume he is speaking of the passage through the gateway but does not seem to acknowledge the original reason for its inception.
I may be under a misapprehension but it was my understanding that this rural gateway together with the urban gateway at the town end of Whitchurch Road were designed to control the volume and speed of traffic in this area of Tavistock.
Living close to the junction of Whitchurch Road and Church Lea it has been apparent that these measures have been a dismal failure and have had no effect on the control of traffic in this area. This completely negates the statement made by Mr George and, in a previous article, by Cllr Madigan.
On this basis it seems to be a gross error of judgement on the part of Mr George and previously Cllr Madigan to even suggest that they work well. It seems to the general populous of the Whitchurch area that these measures do not do anything to control the traffic.
It appears that these statements are simply trying to justify the original ludicrous decision that was taken without any proper consultation. This has been further compounded by the lack of any consideration that has subsequently been given to the objections to this scheme by the general public in the area.
It is my suspicion that the lack of control of traffic in this road has contributed to the current loss of the No 84 bus through Whitchurch. In this context it is still commonplace to find heavy goods vehicles using the road to the detriment of private cars and public transport. The use by these heavy goods vehicles together with the problems of parking along this road must make a bus driver?s life a nightmare. Surely these problems in residential areas require an effective traffic calming and control system?
David J Rippon
10 Church Lea
Whitchurch