I HAVE every respect for our two MPs but think their recommendation for the eastern relief route is wrong.

Actually, the proposed new bridge over the Wye has five different routes to choose from – one on to the Hampton Park Road (B4224) and four on to the Ledbury Road (A438). Only one route will be chosen.

Surely a relief route is meant to reduce traffic congestion and in the case of Rotherwas, for easy entry and exit thus saving time.

The existing relief route from the A49 is just that.

The proposed eastern route is for a new bridge over the Wye and then either: ÅÅ Exiting west on to the B4224 Hampton Park Road straight into the city which is farcical; or Å Exiting on to the A438 Ledbury Road, to either go west or east or north.

These routes are “roads to nowhere”' because the Ledbury Road already suffers gridlock as far back as to the other side of Lugwardine and Hampton Park Road is into the city.

As Rotherwas already has a relief road B4339 to and from the A49, then obviously to avoid the city the proposed western route would do this, for example from that A49 junction, is down over the Wye to crossing Kings Acre Road (A438) and across the Roman Road (A4103) and a new link road that bends slightly towards and across the Burghill Road (A4110) to join the A49 north.

I know, as a former Hereford city councillor, this debate has been going on since at least the 1980s.

A complete ring road would be ideal but that is another matter and not least, the cost.

Developers will only open their cheque books if they can build a few thousand more houses.

It’s between a ‘rock and hard place’ meaning an increase of thousands of traffic movements.

Although I live on the eastern side of Hereford I am not a nimby but wish to hopefully help preserve the city and its environs.

MALCOLM WHYATT, Hampton Park, Hereford.