Reader's letter: Flawed social distancing measures creating more traffic issues

Many letters to this paper have drawn attention to the obvious flaws in the scheme yet the response, apart from the welcome removal of some barriers in Jewry Street, has been to 'dig in' and claim that the scheme is working well and just needs a 'few tweaks' to resolve 'remaining problems'.

Frankly this is beyond belief. Simple questions go unanswered and it is hardly surprising if residents and other road users are left feeling that there is a hidden agenda. Attempting to claim the moral high ground by making assertions such as "we mustn't forget why we are doing this" is an insult to the intelligence of those who disagree - we all understand the dangers posed by Covid-19, but just happen to believe that the attempt to create some element of social distancing on North Walls, which has led to the total closure of Hyde Street is misguided.

Relatively few pedestrians use North Walls and the consequences of coning off a short stretch of road for minimal pedestrian benefit has been massive. Cllr Tod says he cannot see how pedestrians could manage to cross this busy road if one way pavements had been introduced instead. He clearly hasn't noticed the four sets of traffic lights and crossing points between City Road and Park Avenue which people manage to use with apparent ease!

Post-lockdown the pattern of traffic does seem to be changing and, if anything, getting worse. Closing a key route towards the city centre was a bold but ultimately foolish step to take. The more regular and heavier tailbacks on Worthy Lane through to the Albion Junction and City Road are exactly as predicted, with many health and environmental consequences for local residents, pedestrians and cyclists using these routes. Continuing to minimise these consequences by refusing to admit that resolving the problems created will need more than a few tweaks is worrying indeed.

Steve Harbourne,

Worthy Lane,

Winchester