I THANK Councillor Walter Brown for his expressed views on what seems to be developing into an impasse between "those in charge" and the rest of us over the route for a link road.

I am sure he means well - as the councillors probably thought they did in 1985, when they turned down the firm offer of land for what is now known as the Valley Route.

Perhaps Councillor Brown was one of them.

However, we all do what we feel we must do, and the strength and volume of people's support for this route, expressed as they exited last weekend's exhibition (N.B. not consultation), only enforced the view of those of us who were bombarded with it that we really have a firm mandate to fight on.

When it comes down to it, what Crediton people want is a road as far away as possible from the existing "spaghetti junction" of roads in the East Town and one which at least may - or may not, as you argue - ever develop into a full by-pass.

It is possible that there may well be an adaptation or other option which has yet to be explored, but in any event the Western Route was declared unacceptable under any circumstances by the vast majority of those visiting the exhibition.

May I just say that as an elected member, representing the voters of Crediton, I am really not impressed with your paragraph urging people who expressed their legitimate and freely given views on the petition to delete their signatures.

I think we are all becoming very tired of being told what we should want and what is best for us. Please allow us to make up our own minds - we do have them and we know what we want - or don't want!

Helen Lawes

The Pound

Mill Street

Crediton