SIR: Winchester City Council have reduced the width of North Walls, by artificially widening one of the least used pavements in Winchester, but a key route in the one way system.

At random times, I have only ever seen a handful of pedestrians down its length.

Meanwhile everyone is cheek by jowl in the High Street. It is widely known that the virus infection rate is negligible between crossing pedestrians.

Having one lane for traffic there is causing long traffic jams in the two streets that approach it, as well as in Worthy Lane entering Andover Road, as Hyde Street is closed.

Hyde Street is closed only because traffic exiting it on to North Walls would be in conflict with traffic off Jewry Street on to North Walls – two roads feeding onto one lane simultaneously, as that is how the traffic lights are set.

The stationary traffic is causing more pollution from idling engines, and delays to the buses and their timetables. When more people start back to work and the schools open this will only get worse.

Also, the widened pavement on Jewry Street opposite the Library and Theatre has reduced the road width. It too is not that busy with pedestrians. In fact most people use the pavement on the other side, where the bus stops are, alongside the Library.

The entire layout is a waste of everyone’s time and quite pointless. It's as if Winchester City Council had to use the money they were given by central Government ‘somewhere’, and they came up with a key junction and key road, widening a very under used pavement.

They should clear it all away and allow free movement for vehicles – and return any money left!, its only our tax.

If only.

Deirdre Mackay,

Boyne Rise,

Kings Worthy

SIR: It was of interest to read Sue Webb’s letter regarding her plight in North Walls, due to taking the road down to one lane and her car failing to start (Chronicle, August 20). I too witnessed an event around 10 days ago, when an ambulance on blue lights was trapped in the queue of traffic. There was no way the vehicle could manoeuvre to avoid the council-placed obstructions. One thing that struck me was there were plenty of stationary cars, but very few pedestrians or cyclists. Delaying the ambulance for the sake of misplaced ideals seems somewhat counterproductive, especially if someone’s life depends on those vital seconds of delay.

This situation of pointless interference with Winchester’s roads is only set to get worse as schools return and the weather worsens, forcing more people to use their cars. It is suspected as usual the noisy minority will get their way, as the council look to impose its Utopian ideals upon a silent majority. It is said the measures are temporary which are open to consultation and feedback, but this will be a mere procedural process to a decision that in all likelihood has already been made, to permanently impose these restrictions. The arrogance of the ‘we know best’ approach by the council to my mind is not just worrying, but also a little sinister. It matters not what anyone thinks, says or writes, the situation as it stands is highly unlikely to be reversed. Those who live in the city will be forced to accept the consequences, that will inevitably present themselves in due course.

Richard Hall,

King Alfred Place,

Hyde,

Winchester