Bypass and homes inextricably linked DOES anyone else share my incredulity that Coun Jarvis is trying to make us believe that the extra housing planned for Hereford and Herefordshire has nothing to do with the bypass (Hereford Times, July 28)?

Right from the scheme’s conception, it has been generally understood that housing in huge numbers would have to be built to fund the construction of any relief road (and that even this vast number of houses was not going to be enough to pay for it all).

The people of Herefordshire are not the country bumpkins the cabinet must think we are, unable to read, write, think or to understand the most basic of concepts and I am sure they would all share my objection to being told black is white.

If it really is the case that housing is for the future and the bypass is for the alleviation of congestion, I would invite Coun Jarvis to put our money where his mouth is and build and pay for the bypass (to the east, and overcome the environmental difficulties, because that is where every survey and report says it should be built) without building a single house.

He should wait until there is a natural, sustained demand for new housing and industry before releasing any land for development.

And has not Coun Jarvis yet taken on board what his own officers have told him: that, with the extra housing, the relief road will produce little or no improvement in central Hereford traffic flow?

I quote an officer from Herefordshire Council at a public meeting last year: “Hereford will remain a very busy place.”

Whichever route is chosen, a relief road, together with the additional housing, will devastate the surrounding area, will cost millions and destroy the very essence of what Herefordshire is all about: natural beauty and peace.

It is generally acknowledged that most of the congestion in Hereford is caused by locals trying to access the centre – and only twice a day at that – not by through traffic.

With more houses, assuming that people will actually live in them, congestion is bound to increase. Has Coun Jarvis and the cabinet not yet understood this simple fact?

The only way to help them is to ensure we get a poll which allows voters the opportunity to vote for no relief road at all.

NIKKY EYLES

Breinton, Hereford.