Meeting is far too late

I can only wonder what planet Stafford councillors live on when I read they are to have a meeting to discuss the implications of the Baswich Lane closure to town traffic.

Anyone who uses this route to commute to work could have told them well in advance of the problems it would cause, so why a meeting now?

Are we really to believe that those responsible for our roads cannot see that the closure ofÊa route that takes hundreds of motorists away from Lichfield Road would cause bottlenecks?

Can we believe they do not know that if the M6 is closed then Stafford comes to a standstill?

Cllr Mike Heenan is concerned that if the problem is not sorted out it could have a damaging effect on the redevelopment plans being finalised for the town centre.

Does this mean the plans are agreedÊirrespective of whether a transport infrastructure is in place to cope with the added traffic?

One answer was the Eastern Distributor Road, which would have taken traffic around Stafford and not through it, but that was lost a long time ago.

If a meeting to find a solution is the answer then I wonder why that meeting wasn't held before the situation became critical or why the solution, if known, has not been used.

Or could it be that after the coffee and biscuits there will be a report saying those in power are doing their best and further meetings together with brought-in consultants will be held in the near future to discuss the way forward. Don't hold your breath.

Derek Burt, Poplar Way, Stafford.