LIB DEM town councillor Walter Brown emailed members of Crediton Traffic Action Group giving his views on the proposals for a link road for the town.

We print his letter, which has resulted in replies to the Courier in letters to the editor.

IN my view no Link Road will ever be built, if the "Go for the Valley Route" faction succeed in their campaign. If the overall objective is to get much-needed relief for Exeter Road and Mill St, that will be a real tragedy.

The Valley Route is being seen as Stage One of an eventual full bypass. But what seems to be overlooked is that in about 1997, government totally changed the funding system for major road schemes.

We all saw the results of the traffic counts done by Devon County Council and how they failed to match the new criteria of congestion, vehicle numbers etc.

Since then, no bypass here has had any hope of achieving a place in the Regional Funding Allocations. The annual lists for SW Region cover places of either chronic congestion or huge new developments, or both. Other projects don't get a look-in.

OK, so the government may change and some new priority system for funding be brought in. But government funding can only get tighter and remain so for many years ahead.

Public funding may be at its lowest point in the very year that our Link Road could be ready to go. (Tesco won't help, their obligation is only to pay a proportion of the total cost.) No - one will fund the most expensive Link Road option by far, out of three alternatives. And the "Bypass Stage One" argument will count for nothing in that calculation.

Suppose I am wrong. It is 2010: Devon County Council tries to progress the Valley Route.

Next hurdle: planning application.

As explained in the current consultation, the Environment Agency will strenuously object to a floodable route being chosen for any new road, following mandatory guidelines brought in after the 2007 disasters along the Severn Valley and in Yorkshire. (Climate change: sudden floods can now happen any time, anywhere, with a higher risk year after year).

So, if our Valley Route is approved, government is certain to "call in" the scheme for their decision. Result: permission refused.

But suppose I am wrong again? The landowner's agents have made it clear in your columns why they are bound to object. Likewise English Heritage. A Public Inquiry has to be held. Inspector looks at alternatives and finds there are at least two. One of these (Hillside Route) is less than ideal, but solves much of the traffic problem, while having little adverse effect on people's homes.

2012 probably: Inspector quashes Compulsory Purchase Order. DCC either has to start again or drop the scheme entirely!

Instead, let's make progress now.

There are real issues around the DCC's Western Route. Their consultation carefully points out that Buller Square is only 38m from traffic at East Street-Mill Street junction. But the Noise Contour chart makes it clear that traffic noise there and in Downeshead Lane, would become much worse.

Elsewhere, DCC claims, properties would not be "affected" because the route would not "impinge" on their boundaries. Tendentious nonsense!

So I urge everyone who has signed the Support-the-Valley-Route petition to delete their signature (or to use DCC's Reply Form, or write or email in, addresses at the end of DCC's leaflet). Give your views on the other two options shown.

I should mention that this is not written on behalf of other councillors or Lib-Dems. I am emailing this to all on CTAG's circulation list.

Walter Brown

(Lib Dem town cllr)

20 Prince of Wales Road Crediton