Roads just cannot cope

Living in one of the roads at the bottom of Coppermill Lane, I’m concerned about the so-called ‘road improvements’ recently implemented by our out of touch, incompetent Council.

In the event of an emergency like having to get to a doctor or hospital quickly, I’d be in trouble.

We’ve seen the closure, or partial closure, of so many roads in the area that the Council call ‘rat runs.’

This is a term I find offensive. they used to be called short cuts, and are perfectly legal.

It’s a nightmare trying to leave my part of Walthamstow, particularly in the evening.

All the traffic is now forced to use Blackhorse Lane, with solid tailbacks from Forest Road to Mission Grove and beyond; Palmerston Road, with similar congestion back to Willow Walk from Forest Road; or Selborne Road, which is stationary from Willow Walk to Hoe Street.

Those three routes are not enough to cope with it.

Waltham Forest Council seem to be obsessed with pandering to the ‘cycling lobby’, and while cyclists are not polluting the air, I am one myself, it’s not possible to carry five or six bags of shopping home on two wheels.

If the council cares so much about reducing pollution, surely they must appreciate that standing traffic pumps out far more polluting exhaust fumes than traffic that is moving.

It’s a no-brainer

On top of that, so called ‘Copenhagen crossings’ are a disaster waiting to happen.

A shop owner on Hoe Street told me recently that he’s seen several near misses on the one outside his business involving small kids running across the extended pavement without looking and cars coming to join the main road from the affected side street.

Ambulances have also been forced to turn back after finding their former usual route blocked off by bollards, resulting in precious time being wasted.

 Over the last few years, Walthamstow has seen a huge increase in the number of families actually wanting to live here rather than other parts of London, partially due to the ‘gentrification’ of the borough.

But I imagine an equally large number of people can’t wait to leave because of the misery Chris Robbins, Clyde Loakes and their cronies are inflicting on us all. It is disgraceful.

Mr L Fagan

Coppermill Lane

Walthamstow