I WRITE in response to Paul Donovan's letter which appeared in last week's paper. As I am "the woman" he refers to as putting forward juvenile arguments, I feel I must respond, particularly as he seems to be trivialising a matter which is of great concern to a large number of Wanstead residents.

The Area One meeting he refers to certainly was lively, but rather than an "unruly mob" being present, there were instead a large number of people expressing their concern about the scheme.

Two roads in Wanstead have gained by this scheme. This scheme was not designed to look at alternative modes of transport or reduce the number of cars on the road. Instead it was to address the traffic flow down Langley Drive and parts of Overton Drive, both of which are wide roads. All it has done is push the traffic away from two wide roads to smaller residential roads, causing congestion and disruption.

Regarding my comments about the school, the point I was trying to make was that the area north of Overton Drive is in the catchment area for Aldersbrook School which is two-and-a-half miles away. Walking that distance daily with very young children, such as mine, is not possible and I, like many others, drive on to where I work as a community nurse and so rely on my car to carry equipment.

Langley Drive and Overton Drive are our direct routes to school.

It is important that the strength of feeling and numbers affected by this scheme will far outweigh those who have gained, which will be demonstrated at the Area One meeting on Monday.

JILL GODDARD,

Wanstead.

May 29, 2003 13:00