Reader’s letter: Wider work is needed

I read N. Roulstone’s letter (A46 Money Could Be Better Spent, News Views, December 14) with interest.

I am puzzled though that the letter writer thinks the traffic problems on the bypass can be solved by simply fitting traffic lights when the problem is quite clearly caused by the very interruption of the traffic flow that traffic lights will exacerbate.

Any accidents, and I don’t see many, are caused by that very interruption to the traffic flow.

The answer is surely to keep the traffic flowing by removing all the roundabouts, not just the castle market one as currently proposed.

Dualling will have a minimal effect on traffic flow and will add immeasurably to the problems for Newark as it will add years to the construction time. A whole new road will effectively have to be built alongside the existing road, requiring five new bridges, two for the river and three for the railway lines, and elevation of the whole length to cope with the flood plain.

We all know how long this took the first time around and are well aware how much longer roadworks take nowadays as Queens Road and the Southern Relief Road show.

Don’t forget that back then the traffic was still flowing through the town without interfering with the bypass construction too much.

This time there is much more traffic and that which does not divert through the town to escape the mayhem will still be using the existing bypass with all of the misery and restrictions which that entails.

This will last for years.

A new flyover on the cattle market roundabout would make a world of difference all on its own, though really something needs to be done with the level crossing as well.

The level crossing is not part of the plans, however, neither is a flyover on the Farndon roundabout.

How adding traffic lights to the Farndon and Winthorpe roundabouts will keep traffic flowing is a mystery to me.

Don’t forget that the bypass upgrade is not being done for the convenience of the people of Newark even though it is being sold to us this way.

The new A1 flyover which leaves two dangerous and congested roundabouts untouched is a clear testament to how little the people of Newark really figure in the planners’ thinking. – I. THOMSON, Collingham.