Some facts need to be put straight with regard to the closing of the Old Bridge in Hereford.

The claims of a few businesses that they are prejudiced by the closure are without foundation.

They are readily accessed from St Nicholas and Broad Streets and the closure of the bridge makes no difference.

Also there is hardly any street parking but there are three good car parks on St Martin’s Street, a few minutes’ walk away.

There are important environmental and welfare concerns for the good of the city at large, protecting pedestrian and cycle spaces and limiting the pollution and disturbance occasioned by cars.

The route across the bridge was a hazardous rat run providing a speedway for impatient drivers avoiding the ring road, but which had undesirable consequences for the safety and welfare of the residents.

The most persuasive justification for the closure is the survival of the bridge itself.

The structure is not sufficiently stable to support a greater volume of traffic so its closure is a matter of public safety and historical preservation.

The few protesters are wrong to claim that they represent the citizens of Hereford.

The people of Hereford commend Herefordshire Council for closure of the bridge, which should be permanent.

John Coulton
Hereford