FOR many years the people of Crediton and the council representing them have been aware of an increasing traffic problem.

We now have levels of air pollution in the town which exceed the EEC maximum permitted allowance.

As is widely known, the district and county councils are considering the construction of a new road to alleviate this situation.

At the recent public consultation instigated by Mid Devon District Council, three different routes, each linking the Lords Meadow industrial estate to the A377, were put forward for consideration.

Subsequent to the consultation period the public were informed that the council were considering an additional route, again linking the Lords Meadow industrial estate to the A377.

There will be an opportunity for the public to attend a presentation of this route, in September 2009.

Until the present time, with cost being a factor, the council have promoted the cheaper routes to the estate. These are identified as "the hillside routes", numbers one, two and now three.

There is obviously a major problem with route three, due to its proximity to the residents of Exeter Road and Buller Square and so it is unlikely to be adopted.

But routes one and two are also less than acceptable, being identical in that their use will only divert a fraction of the traffic currently using Exeter Road.

The route that "ticks all the boxes" is the "non-preferred" valley route, or better still, with its environmental advantages, the "alternative valley route", as proposed by the Crediton Traffic Action Group.

This is the route that has the potential to properly address, not only our current traffic problems, but also provides the exciting certainty of addressing the needs of road users, businesses, and the residents of Crediton and district, for years to come.

Is a link road exciting? A Bypass would be!

This is the potential that the "valley route" has, in that it can be extended after linking with the industrial estate, to link with the Crediton to Bickleigh road, near the Red Cross.

From there, with the necessary will and funding, the route could be extended via Stone Lane and Forches Cross, to the A377 at Barnstaple Cross.

A Bypass has been talked about since the mid 1970's.

Many think we are now unlikely to have one. Why?

I make two assertions, firstly, now that the Tesco Development is underway, the one remaining hope for the high street shopkeepers, is a better environment for their customers.

The Bypass is their answer.

Secondly, with the inevitable increase in development of both housing and industry, the Bypass needs to be constructed, a) whilst there is still a place to put it, and b) because its implementation needs to precede the increase in development, rather than to follow it.

Graham W Pearcey

Bewsley Farm

Copplestone

EX17 5NX