SIR: In common with a number of your correspondents, I am dismayed at the nonsensical closure of Hyde Street and the possibility that this may be made permanent. This closure is unlikely to reduce traffic on North Walls; Hyde residents – the primary users of Hyde Street – who need to visit the recycling centre or exit the city via North Walls will still use this route even though it now entails travelling an additional half mile (via Worthy Lane, Andover Road and City Road). Hyde Street is the shortest route out of Hyde when leaving the city via North Walls and the shortest route into Hyde when returning via Jewry Street. The longer journeys resulting from this closure will lead to more pollution and more congestion around the Andover Road/City Road junction; walking up to St. Paul’s Surgery on a few occasions recently, the additional traffic around this junction was already noticeable and is likely to worsen as we return to some sort of “normality”.

Another consideration is the impact on businesses in Hyde Street, in particular those (for example, the two pubs and the newsagency) which rely on deliveries. Presumably, delivery vehicles are now expected to drive along Hyde Street from Worthy Lane, make their deliveries, then turn around, drive back along Hyde Street and exit into Worthy Lane – madness!

I trust that the decision makers involved will realise that it makes no sense to keep Hyde Street closed and will re-open it as soon as is practicable. At the very least, a full consultation should be held with all Hyde residents and businesses, as well as with the emergency services, before a permanent decision regarding this street is made.

Sharon Goodenough,

Monks Road,

Hyde,

Winchester