Hereford is renowned for poor quality transport links yet Herefordshire Council is considering stopping traffic at Newtown crossroads with traffic lights.

All agree the junction is unsafe and needs improvement but we local residents believe tailbacks from lights will cause more accidents than they will prevent, given the poor quality and inappropriate speed restrictions of the approach roads.

If lights would solve the problem locals would be prepared to accept the negative effects on our environment.

Unfortunately, the plans fail to stand up to scrutiny. Using figures from planners the planned lights appear woefully inadequate for the present levels of traffic. The predicted queue length of 'about 10 cars' is ludicrous to those of us who regularly see more than 20 cars trailing after lorries. That traffic levels will increase year on year has not been allowed for and yet this would be required to cope for at least 10 years.

Problems include a house whose drive comes out in the middle of the lights, three bus stops (with no lay-by) within a few feet and used by school children and the fact that an articulated lorry could not turn from Hereford to Leominster.

The best solution would be a roundabout but this was immediately discounted for no other reason than cost. The cost of lights is likely to be £100,000 and a roundabout about £250,000. The council is not even prepared to consider the much less expensive option of dropping the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph which is completely baffling.

We regularly hear of businesses leaving due to gridlock on Herefordshire's roads. What other council would be prepared to block one of its major arteries with a scheme like this to save such a relatively small amount of money?

ANTHONY HAWKINS,

Lower Eggleton, Ledbury.