HAVING experienced the frustration of waiting in long lines of traffic at Westbrook, which prior to the installation of lights instead of the roundabout, did not exist, and having read the comments in the Warrington Guardian over recent weeks I was absolutely amazed yesterday when I saw three or four men in high visibility jackets installing road traffic survey equipment at the junction.

Now, I have no problem with them surveying the traffic. In fact, it should hopefully prove the point that everyone is trying to make, but surely you don't need to be too bright to realise that the schools have broken up for the summer and traffic levels are much reduced. Therefore a survey at this time will not show a true picture of the daily chaos; in fact, as I drove through there yesterday there was no problem.

There is no doubt whatsoever that something needed doing to ensure that pedestrians could cross both roads safely. I have heard some say that a bridge or underpass would have done that, but the reality is that people will not use either; look at the bridge at the next junction along and you will see people dashing across the road under it, and underpasses quickly become hangouts and are smelly and people often fear using them.

The roundabout, which was there, worked very well for vehicles, and all that was needed was a couple of light controlled pedestrian crossings, sited slightly away from the junction.

It would have prevented three or four months of roadworks, and the traffic flows would not have been too severely affected, and I am sure it would have saved a considerable amount of money in the process. As one of your previous correspondents, Tony Pelham, suggested, it would be a good idea to consider another Asda entrance and exit on Westbrook Way.

I doubt that you will find anyone who drives through that junction on a regular basis who does not agree that something needs to be done, but sadly, unless this survey extends beyond the school holidays it is not going to support that view. I suppose the sad reality is that what is done is done and there is not much chance of anyone responsible for it admitting that they got it wrong and so we will be stuck with the continual frustration for evermore.

CHRIS UPHAM Great Sankey