MIKE Clarke (‘The bill goes up but things getting worse’, December 11) reminds us that the Access to Headington phase 3 is about to be upon us, to begin on January 14 and to last about 12 weeks.

For those of us who live in the Headley Way-Cherwell area, hell is on the horizon, as part of a scheme which is “traffic-neutral” (or so a consultant from Leamington Spa told me at one of the consultation meetings held earlier this year). My family and I have lived for nearly 21 years at the Headley Way end of Bowness Avenue and knew when we moved here traffic up and down Headley Way would be congested at certain times of day. What isn’t clear today is whether the traffic-neutral traffic lights and narrowing of lanes will be of any benefit to those of us who live locally. Or to anybody else.

As for air pollution, Headley Way is a horror and this won’t change for years to come, if ever. And mature trees? Ah, that’s another story. 

Ambulances? Will at least some ambulances be able to get into the JR via Osler Road? I suspect not. We can, though, go to another consultation event at Headington Junior School on December 14 and presumably hear the same as earlier, that three months of misery will lead to eternally smooth traffic flows, perfect cycling, and jolly happy walking. April 1st will come and go!

BRUCE ROSS-SMITH
Bowness Avenue, Headington