Conservatives Must Abandon Walden Traffic Light Plan

10.51.49pm GMT Wed 21st Jan 2009

In a letter to the local newspapers, Saffron Walden Lib Dem Town Councillor Richard Freeman has condemned the plan of Conservative-led Essex County Council to remove the traffic lights in Saffron Walden town centre.

Richard Freeman writes:-

"Sir,

The Conservative-controlled County Council is only slapping a patch on the problem of traffic-induced air pollution in Saffron Walden.

Switch off the traffic lights on the High Street, install a traffic island in Bridge Street and they think the job is done!

No public consultation, no trial, and certainly no evidence that these simple measures will work.

Our local Conservative County Councillor Robert Chambers, who also happens to chair the police committee, and the finance committee at Uttlesford District Council, wasn't consulted either, but that's alright; we are assured that he is on the case!

But why does he leave it so late before using his political influence?

What Walden needs is a proper traffic management scheme, not hastily conceived ideas. Essex County Council has millions in reserves thanks to budget underspends, so money cannot be the problem.

It looks as if Saffron Walden is just not important to the County Council. It is high time that it started taking our town and its electors seriously.

Richard Freeman"