Sir – Traffic congestion in Worcester is principally due to the inept policies pursued by successive city and county council administrations.

Worcester News readers will be familiar with the situation where on approaching a traffic light it turns red and they are delayed for a minute or so even though no traffic passes in other directions.

This unnecessary irritant to their journey is the result of a computer system known as SCOOT, which was introduced in Worcester in the autumn of 1984 and replaced vehicle activation and fixed time plans.

SCOOT is meant to co-ordinate operation of all traffic signals in an area to give good progression to vehicles through the network and while the principle is good it works most effectively in large cities where the volume of traffic is heavy and constant.

In cities such as Worcester the benefits are less evident and it is questionable whether the cost of updating and maintaining the system is justified since any gain to journey times made during peak periods is lost by unnecessary delays at other times.

Furthermore, the unnecessary stop/start in the traffic flow inherently creates traffic queues and increases fuel consumption and journey times.

As for co-ordination of traffic signals, this feature seems to be lacking in the Worcester system. For example, it is frequently the case that when the lights are green for traffic flowing from Deansway into Bridge Street no traffic flows as the vehicles are held up at the pedestrian crossing by the technical college in Deansway.

Would it really make any difference if the computer was switched off and the control of traffic lights reverted to vehicle activation? Wouldn’t it be worth a simple trial or can’t the county transport chiefs risk the embarrassment of being proved wrong?

Instant positive action is required to replace the present apathy and promises of further consultation. An onsite study should be conducted at each junction so that transport managers can determine at first hand the ‘pinch points’ and solutions for delays to be removed.

This would go a long way to alleviating the congestion at very little cost.

Robert Hartwright

Worcester