These inadequate transport links are an utter disgrace

One feels sorry for the villagers en route from Shrewsbury to Hereford that are not bypassed, Craven Arms too, while Church Stretton has a rather built-up relief road. Better that than nothing at a guess, as the old roads through there, Leominster and Ludlow were adequate only for horse and cart or pre-war cars.

Hereford, of course, needs a bypass. It needed it 20 years ago, and improvements are needed to the A49 southward to the A40. If two miles or so of dual carriageway had been built each year between Shrewsbury and Hereford during the past 20 years, a linking dualled road would be complete by now, south from the dualled A5.

As it is, it will cost many millions more to improve the road now, which is what it needs – whether dualled or not. The west to east routes are dire and even more awful than the A49.

Dr Beeching in his “wisdom” axed the east to west rail routes from Woofferton, Leominster and Craven Arms, but authorities’ “intelligence” did not seem to consider that as a consequence roads would have to be improved.

So we are left with old winding, slow drovers’ routes to get across to the east of the A49.

Quite who thought it was a good idea to close an inter-city line from Hereford to Gloucester probably got knighted for that ineptitude, which has made life difficult for millions over the years.

Not only was one such route axed but two – the other from Ledbury to Gloucester.

It is impossible to believe that such fools were put in charge of things at one time – maybe they still are?

J Evered, Llandrindod Wells

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