I HAVE been reading with interest the debate about relieving traffic congestion in Northallerton, and the new housing developments (D&S Times, Oct 9).

I cannot see that speeding traffic through the town will be in any way beneficial to the locals.

What we need is to restrict traffic to and through the town centre. The level crossings do restrict it, and would not be a problem if the road was not overloaded with traffic once the gates opened.

There is no acceptable provision for those who wish to visit the town centre in the safe and relaxed way that we used to enjoy, ambling from shop to shop and having a cuppa and a bite to eat in the many cafes and pubs.

I suggest a radical rethink.

Why not make the High Street a pedestrian only area?

A park and ride scheme, with provision for parking to the north and south of the town, could facilitate this. It would make the town centre safer for pedestrian and the many cyclists who now visit North Yorkshire after the successful introduction of the Tour de Yorkshire.

Improvements to local busses would encourage locals and visitors to enjoy the town centre again at their leisure.

A free out of town parking scheme would enhance parking for those who work here and would help prevent parking on grass verges. It would also encourage casual shoppers to return.

It would seem to me that this would be a much more economical scheme, and would help to eliminate the curse of through traffic in Northallerton, which the proposed bridge would only make worse.

Margaret Grimsey, Northallerton