Disagree

AS A long-standing resident of Slade Road I must concur with Alan Woods [Letter; October 1] in his comments about the 'dangers' of living in Slade Road with the hugely increased volume of traffic, both static and moving, over the last three years but I must strongly disagree with his final sentence 'The issue of the alterations to the Cabstand is a very distant second compared to the need to solve the problems of Slade Road'.

The problems from which Slade Road, and surrounding roads, now suffer are precisely the result of and directly dating to when the Cabstand roundabout was changed to the mess of traffic lights and single lanes it now is.

Queues did not form right down the High Street, up Cabstand and Coombe Road nor along Wyndham Way. Drivers did not manoeuvre down Slade Road in their attempts to by-pass the hated traffic lights.

The Slade Road/Avon Way junction - which has always been recognised as a 'black spot' with its fast downhill traffic and volume of would-be crossing pedestrians - was not made even more dangerous.

At Cabstand itself, pedestrians did not despair of ever finding a light at green and take their lives into their hands on a red crossing - nor were they led by exceptionally devious routes across these same traffic-filled roads.

Exasperated drivers did not wait in queues - with their fume emitting engines running - for some action from the ever red lights.

Cars could enter and exit the only petrol station without clogging the system up still more in the attempt. Traffic could safely turn into Ferndale Road.

Three extra, traffic impeding parking spaces were not made, reducing two lanes to one, nor was the width of an already wide pavement trebled to again reduce traffic flow to one lane.

Double lanes were the norm, allowing the traffic to flow freely.

In short; none of the trouble we are now in was there before the notorious alterations and 'improvements' to traffic flow Cabstand began.

After an unprecedented reaction of Portishead residents to the Cabstand debacle in their twice marching in protest through the streets of the town and signing massive petitions of protest - remembering, too the letters which appeared on this page week after week - the council's hugely tardy response was three plans showing possible 'changes' to the system - two of which virtually retained the status quo and the third made very timid suggestions. Why are we represented if our overwhelming representations of protest count as naught?

So, Mr Woods, though I applaud your protest at conditions now reigning in Slade Road, please remember the direct cause and join in any action of protest against the Cabstand traffic lights which we enfeebled residents are allowed to make.

DR JUDITH CARR - Slade Road, Portishead