Perhaps Mr Feltham (letters, July 29) is a newcomer to Devizes? This is evidenced by his angry tirade against those he feels are responsible for the recent road closure to bar Roundway Hospital site to through traffic.

Far from being decided by 'some beaurocratic and faceless focus group with links to Transport 2000' the decision was very democratic.

The original plans for Roundway North allowed through traffic, and demolished all the existing unlisted buildings north of the old access road.

Residents of south Devizes in all roads accessed by Pans Lane and Wick Lane, and those likely to be affected on Potterne Road and The Fairway, set up Downlands Action Group after a large public meeting. DAG successfully fought these plans, which would have left Pans Lane and Wick Lane as the only chicane in a new distributor road system from Kingsmanor Wharf to Potterne Road. This would have created, in effect, Devizes Southern by-pass, right past Wansdyke School, and including a sharp bend with an adverse camber, and a dangerous railway bridge.

DAG was an alliance of local groups and residents, including Devizes and Marlborough Friends of the Earth, Trust for Devizes and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. DAG worked to stop the area becoming no more than a repeat of 'modern box' housing estates all over the country. Two FoE campaigners with a mandate from a public meeting of DAG represented DAG at the public inquiry into the future of the site.

A FoE transport campaigner presented evidence independently. DAG circulated newsletters to 900 houses affected, fundraised and organised a petition to the county council to stop the through route being created. The county councillors supported us, and Wiltshire County Council voted against their officers, and stopped the through route, except for pedestrians, cyclists, buses and emergency vehicles.

Would Mr Feltham like a lorry route past his home? Would he be happy for his children or grand-children to walk such a route to school? Residents on the old Roundway Hospital site have a lot to thank us for, and should be grateful that we fought to preserve our heritage.

Traffic emissions cause climate change. It is government policy to reduce car use as this is unsustainable. DAG worked well, and achieved a lot of what local people wanted. Surely this is democracy?

P NORTON, C CARVER, L LLEWELLYN

Devizes