Beware, residents of Abingdon – the ‘stop the traffic in the town’ brigade is on the march again.

St Helen’s Wharf has become its next target for closure because, after years of being a through-route from the south of the town, it has now been classed as a rat-run.

As Drayton Road is at a standstill every morning, the extra traffic generated from this closure would cause traffic to back-up to Steventon.

The only alternative would be to drive to the Milton interchange, and drive north on the already congested A34 to enter Abingdon from the Marcham interchange.

They are using air pollution levels in the town as part of the ludicrous reasoning for this road closure, while not admitting that this problem has undoubtedly risen since the new traffic system was introduced – turning the town centre into one big car park.

And, as air pollution has been mentioned, this will no doubt bring the po-faced eco warriors out to ram global warming down our throats, even though the vast majority of people in this country know this is just a tax-grabbing scam and the biggest con since the Common Market.

Let’s hope that someone sees a little sense if this ever goes to public consultation – unlike the Old Gaol fiasco which is again being held behind closed doors.

After years of standing empty, a contract was awarded to a local company to convert the Old Gaol site into an area with shops, a café and bars, and with apartments on a par with the Morland brewery development.

A year or so on, the developers have decided that they have overpriced the project and want to carve out a no-doubt cheaper deal with the council.

If so, then the council taxpayers of the town will be getting a scaled down project.

The other parties who tendered before should now be invited to submit new tenders.

As a resident of Abingdon I would like to think there is no conflict of interest behind the locked doors of our secretive council chambers.

W E WHITTERN, St Peters Rd, Abingdon