St Paul's Drive has recently been vandalised in the name of traffic calming.

It has worked well, up to a point, depending on how one sees it.

The road is very calm, it just sort of lays there. Unfortunately it appears to have had the reverse effect on the local residents who account for most of the traffic.

Calm is not the word to describe the feelings of all I have spoken to but I won't comment on their actual comments you couldn't print them anyway.

So what next I wonder, will St Paul's Drive become St Paul's Walk? Perhaps some attempt could be made to discipline the local schoolchildren and get them to use a pedestrian crossing. At present this would be difficult, there isn't and never ever has been such a crossing for them, no doubt not installed for "safety reasons'' it can't be for reasons of coast can it? Destroying the road surfaces must have cost a few bob.

If, as we are led to believe, that child safety is the prime reason for the changes here in St Paul's Drive I wonder if someone could explain the absence of a safe crossing.

It would seem that a sledgehammer has been used to crack a walnut. I have lived here for 35 years and to the best of my knowledge accidents have been remarkably few.

Local councillors might do well to avoid the area though, especially when seeking re-election and the residents start clamouring for a reduction in Council Tax. This claim based on loss of easy access to their properties, plus claims for damage to their vehicles.

Speaking of the future perhaps governments both central and local could come clean regarding why they are doing what they are doing to motorists.

It is just possible, that some motorists are not wanted and anything that can be done to make life difficult for them will be done.

They could also admit that even thought the motor car is not wanted, it is still very much needed. Firstly because for the present there is no practical alternative and secondly because of the massive amount of revenue it generates.

I find it difficult to believe that our governments are really concerned about our health and safety when patients in hospitals are being allowed to die for lack of the funding.

This when funding can be found for dubious road safety schemes which are anything but safe or sane.

Bill Hoskin

Pinnegar Way

Covingham, Swindon