Not the last of Ring saga

First, the traffic engineers seemingly cannot analyse the relatively simple circulation of the major half of the town centre's traffic flow.

This is, in fact, a large scale roundabout comprising King Street - which is unavoidably one-way - Broad Street, Brand Lane, and Old Street northwards to the Bull Ring leading to King Street.

On to this virtual roundabout the traffic engineers have imposed traffic lights - and with a pedestrian crossing in between!

These regularly lead to pedestrian confusion and traffic build-ups as far down Corve Street as Tesco and as far down Old Street as Brand Lane - which can be gridlocked.

Meanwhile, the Ludlow planners - seemingly oblivious of the future installation of the traffic lights, have recommended - and the development control committee has duly approved - an underground car park for eight cars (with an entrance and exit of only one-car width!) opening on to Pepper Lane, itself an important pedestrian link across the town centre.

The eight cars are expected to go in and out of Pepper Lane immediately in front of the new traffic lights, in conflict with other vehicles waiting in front of them.

It is difficult to imagine anything more ludicrous - were it not that further down Old Street, four garages are intended to be approached directly from the street through an opening in the street frontage less than 8ft wide!

The planning application for this wholly unsuitable and crammed-in development in the heart of the conservation area was recommended for approval in a planner's report.

If it recommended that the planning approval for the housing, car park and garages is revoked - as it should be - the inept co-ordination of traffic management and planning strategy is going to cost council taxpayers a great deal of money.

If the council does nothing then the Bull Ring scheme will not be the final disaster mentioned by John Farley.

James Harris,

Bell Lane,

Ludlow.