AS Alan Harrison well knows, David Woodrow's arguments in favour of a western Studley bypass will do nothing to "end the furore about alternative routes" (Letters, June 20).

Mr Woodrow's main argument appears to be that the western bypass was included in plans for the New Town, dating back to the 1960s.

If he really thinks that traffic management and town planning have remained unchanged over the intervening three decades, he really is out of touch.

Planners at the time made monumental mistakes with the local environment as everybody knows - looking at some of the things they did do to Redditch town centre should make us thankful that they did not manage to execute all their plans.

Mr Woodrow also observes that most housing in Redditch has been planned to be shielded from major traffic flows which, to be fair, seems a reasonable point.

Unfortunately, when he cites this in favour of a western bypass, Mr Woodrow seems unaware that the proposed route passes within 30 metres of housing in Wirehill and other parts of Redditch.

These homes would overlook the road and be unscreened from the traffic - as would the Alexandra Hospital and neighbouring nurses' accommodation.

The final irony of Mr Woodrow's position is that he was chief planning officer.

If his claims were accurate (that the western route was always planned as a feeder road into Redditch), then why did his own department allow housing development on the route.

We, who subsequently bought the houses, did so on the basis of clear reassurance from councils that no such road was planned.

Come on, Mr Woodrow, no one in their right mind could seriously argue that 25,000 extra vehicles per day would be good for Redditch!

Dominic Cropper MSc MIMechE

Nine Days Lane

Wirehill

Redditch