In a half-hearted attempt to “calm” traffic on Stepney Road (half-hearted because it doesn’t calm traffic), they installed a cycle lane on one side of the road that doesn’t take into account cyclists travelling in two directions, possibly at the same time. They built two “pedestrian refuges” at wholly inappropriate sites, one on a dangerous bend, where broken glass is now a regular feature, and which sees motorists having to negotiate oncoming vehicles in the middle of the road, inconsiderate (and possibly illegal ) parking close by.

They’ve “sorted” the maddening queues that back up regularly throughout the day from Scalby Road mini-roundabout by putting another refuge nearby, one designed to separate traffic entering the town area from that entering Scalby Road. Except, the refuge gets in the way, and it only needs two cars intending to go straight on to bung up the works spectacularly.

The real problem is caused by traffic leaving the town in the directions of Racecourse Road or Scalby Road, the volume being so great that any poor sap hoping to get into town has to wait interminably at peak times.

The borough council isn’t entirely blameless; it gave Safeway permission to demolish the traffic-friendly roundabout at Seamer Road corner in return for free parking outside the supermarket in return. But only while the company existed.

The thing is, Scarborough cannot and should not have to cater for all the traffic that bungs up its narrow roads. By now, we should have a park and ride system all but ready to open ... but the county council’s mucking about with that, too. When did you last see anyone working on it?

Until we all agree that relying on combustible fuel that will kill us all in less than 100 years is a dim-witted and short-sighted, not to say selfish option, we will be doomed to try to fit our lives around cars. We could do a bit, though, by letting local experts tackle the traffic arrangements, quite possibly saving us some council tax in the process, instead of the navel-gazers, thumb- twiddlers and computer games players of County Hall.

Matt Watkinson

Stepney Road

Scarborough