COUNCILLOR Peter Corston says the new Bull Ring traffic scheme has "added decorum to the traffic and pedestrian movements. There's a calmness that was not there before".

He goes on to say the scheme is an improvement.

I doubt if decorum and calmness is a description that most residents of Corve Street would recognise and it's unclear if Coun Corston is of the view that the scheme is an improvement since the contractors left or before they began.

If it is the former then it could hardly fail to be better given the months of disruption and mess that accompanied it.

It was interesting to read his statement that he had walked, cycled and driven through the new system.

No doubt he carefully avoided introducing himself to any of his constituents and I do wonder about his powers of observation. Did he see decorum and calmness in motorists who took off from 100ms away as the lights turned red in order to beat them?

Did he perceive the same among pedestrians trying to cross from Tower Street as they looked this way and that to avoid vehicles?

Did he look down and see gaps between slabs unfilled, work unfinished, asphalt thrown into difficult bits instead of fitting cut out paving and kit left lying around for weeks to provide ammunition for vandals?

Was he able to swerve round the road narrowing opposite St John's Road that was done on the wrong side?

Did he miss the queues of traffic speeding down to Brand Lane, causing noise, pollution, and shaking foundations?

Did he fail to spot vehicles left without hindrance on double yellow lines because, according to the police, traffic wardens have been told by Shropshire County Council to stay away from Old Street to see if self-regulation will work?

There are matters which should be properly judged after the trial period has ended but there are matters which should not wait.

These have to do with the performance in the past eight months of the contractors, council officers and elected members.

Their actions during that period, translated now into inertia in dealing with ongoing failures, has had a major detrimental effect on the quality of life for residents and businesses.

Writing to them makes not one jot of difference. Perhaps a much more public expression of views might have a greater impact.

Michael Stoten,

Old Street, Ludlow