Sir – With reference to your lead headline (D&S, Aug 30), may I comment on the problems of excessive speed and the volumes of traffic passing through Tunstall.

I returned from what was sometimes a heated meeting and reflected on what could only be described as the incompetence and "Not me guv"

feeling we were getting from the representatives. Primarily, many members of the public appeared to want to shout out "You should be talking to each other". The representatives of the various bodies were adamant that they were, but we did not believe them.

After we learned that 200 more troops were due to arrive at the Garrison, in addition to a multi-screen cinema, a Premier Inn and several large stores, one would have no doubt posed the question – what will the situation be like in 2017, if it is unbearable now?

Richmondshire District Council and North Yorkshire County Council appear to have their heads in the sand. My wife and I recalled that when we took our narrowboat (featured in Dales Diary) south in 1980 from the bottom of our garden in Lydiate, north of Liverpool, and relocated to Buckinghamshire, due to a promotion with BT, we traversed on countless occasions the Bucks/Beds border on the Grand Union Canal. Buckinghamshire County Council created a ten mile-long linear park adjacent to the canal from Bletchley to Great Linford and swallowed up many villages in between. My wife and I were able to witness the 30- year programme which was eventually to create a new town. Roads, bridges roundabouts appeared to link up with nowhere, and we were puzzled why all this construction, complete with Terry Wogan's concrete cows, would be needed.

I appreciate that the MoD appears to be in the driving seat – increasing the size of the garrison as instructed by Whitehall – but all we are witnessing is a knee-jerk reaction and an "It will be alright on the night" attitude by the guys who receive our extortionate council taxes.

It is more than 18 months ago that I read about the expansion of the area around the Tesco supermarket in the D&S Times, so why did not anyone realise the implications and develop an infrastructure which will be fit for the 21st century? Since then, progress from Catterick Bridge to the White Shops in Hipswell has been impeded by mini-roundabouts and a larger one serving the 300 new Wimpey homes with plans to build a fifth one at the Hipswell traffic lights.

If one was to consider roadwidening, the new business park and fire station are all set well back on one's left along the A6136, and demolition of properties would be at a minimum.

Delays for the past three months on this stretch of road has contributed to an 83 per cent increase of traffic through Tunstall.

My narrowboat is located in a marina north of Milton Keynes, but I am quite willing to gather up the non-accountable attendees and head down the M1 in order to either knock their heads together as they chug along with me or failing that, should I knock them into the canal?

KEN WALSH Tunstall.