SIR – I have recently read with great interest the debate both for and against the gas work situation currently going on in Todds Green and therefore I feel in a position to give an independent view. The first letter from an irate motorist gives to me an

SIR - I have recently read with great interest the debate both for and against the gas work situation currently going on in Todds Green and therefore I feel in a position to give an independent view.

The first letter from an irate motorist gives to me an ignorant, thoughtless view, and of course, letters from Todds Green residents give the opposite.

I have cycled to work in Stevenage for over 25 years from Hitchin and Todds Green is on my route.

Now let us get it into prospective, Todds Green is a village situated upon a country road, yes country road, which is designed for rural life, especially the horse stables situated there. It has evolved over the years as a rat run for motorists looking for a short cut into Stevenage to avoid the A602 and also both Little and Great Wymondley suffer the same. To make the situation worse if they open their eyes, the A602 is moving freely.

The writer of the first letter sounded off about the inconvenience etc, and that the local council representative had asked for one lane to be left open, when it is evident that is not practically possible and who is he representing? He is supposed to act in the villagers best interests.

One of the following letter writers in the May 1 Comet said that he would like to see the barriers made permanent and I agree it is basically a case of ignorant motorists using a country lane as a rat run, if they are inconvenienced by this, then tough, one lady resident of Todds Green who I stopped and talked to, thinks that the present situation is great. She said that morning and evening all she and fellow residents breathe are exhaust fumes and utterly endorsed her fellow villager's about the barrier.

A couple of footnotes for the irate motorist. You have found an alternative route, I see it at Corey's Mill and you moan about the carbon emission, well, so what at least it is now an open space, you can move your car, but Todds Green residents cannot move their homes. Secondly, a compromise. If motorists choose to turn a country lane into a rat run then why not put in cameras from the B656 to Stevenage, which can record cars of those not living in the area and those cars which choose Todds Green Monday to Friday as a rat run. Drivers will then pay a toll of so much a mile, 50 per cent% for the upkeep of the road surface they damage and 50 per cent as a council tax rebate to the residents of Todds Green having to breathe in carbon emission with no escape from it.

A H MATUSSA

Redhill Road

Hitchin