I AM writing to make sure that your readers are made aware of the devastation that is being wreaked in lower Grenofen woods in support of the Drake's Trail Cycle Path.

Up until recently this area had been ancient woodland, untouched for decades. The flora and fauna were unique. The carpet of bluebells in the spring was something to behold and I had seen a wide variety of birds and animals.

This is not the case now. The carpet of bluebells has been grubbed up and replaced by contaminated road scalpings and the habitat for the birds despoiled by the felling of trees to make way for the cycle path.

In preparation for the new bridge, more than a hundred trees have been felled and their roots wrenched from the ground. More natural undergrowth has been scraped up to be replaced by even more hardcore to form a base for the new works site.

I used to walk my dog by the river most days, something I cannot do now as the right of way has been blocked by contractors' fencing, and in all the time since the initial works were completed three years ago I have only ever seen a handful of cyclists using the track.

I also note that traffic lights have been installed on the main road above Magpie Bridge and I am told that they will remain there for the whole summer. This will inevitably lead to disruption and lengthy delays on the main road link into and out of Tavistock.

Notwithstanding the environmental damage, perhaps someone from Devon County Council will be able to tell us why, in these straitened times, when cuts are being made to services, employees are being made redundant and potholes caused by the severe weather are being ignored, they can justify spending millions of pounds on these works in support of a handful of cyclists?

Graham Antcliffe

The Lodge

Grenofen