With the advent of the new area board for the Corsham area, I relished the opportunity to enter the debate concerning proposed traffic lights along the A4, especially Pickwick.

The flyer for the area board states it will “allow local people to have a say in the new council’s decisions and spending plans”. I attended the meeting (Corsham Town Hall, July 21) with a view to doing just that.

Imagine my surprise when the board chairman stated, when the traffic light subject was broached, that he wanted no opinions from the floor, only questions. I rapidly reforumulated my opinion into a question and was handed the radio microphone.

I asked if, since traffic figures used were projected to 2020, had a similar projection been done for levels of pollution and vibration, especially in the Pickwick area. (I evoked a round of applause from the floor.) However the resulting answer had no relevance to my question. I had no opportunity to comment since the radio microphone was no longer in my hand.

I am angered that I think the decision to impose traffic modifications has been made on the advice of external consultants and will most likely be implemented by contractors, probably.

Ken Mellor, Purleigh Road, Corsham.