Is it lack of co-ordination, thoughtlessness or just official bloody mindedness that has created the intolerable situation for drivers travelling between the M25 and New Malden along the A3?

There are no less than three sets of roadworks (two of them between Hook and New Malden) operating at the same time as Kingston Bridge is being repaired.

Apart from a fair attempt to ruin my birthday party on August 1 for guests travelling a long distance and getting horribly delayed (thankyou, you didn't quite succeed), and the frustration of being late for or missing appointments, it must be costing thousands in lost business for people held up this way.

Couldn't a little foresight, common sense and co-operation be applied in future by whoever plans such necessary work - or is this just part of the government's plot to discourage motorists from using their cars?

ROSEMARY

MARSHALL

24 Portland Avenue

New Malden, Surrey

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.