I AM compelled to write to you after reading the article Helping To Beat Traffic Snarl-ups on Page 5 of the Ely Standard last week. I cannot believe that Cambridgeshire County Council could publicly announce that they are spending taxpayers money, via

I AM compelled to write to you after reading the article 'Helping To Beat Traffic Snarl-ups' on Page 5 of the Ely Standard last week.

I cannot believe that Cambridgeshire County Council could publicly announce that they are spending taxpayers' money, via the Government, to pay for the establishment of yet another useless quango.

Can they honestly believe that it is in the public's interest to establish a committee, throw money at it and then sit back and pat themselves on the back for the good job they've done in trying to improve traffic conditions?

If the county council really wants to know what the problems are and how best to solve them, then they should approach the local district councils who are only too well aware of the local traffic problems.

We don't expect that people in Burwell, for example, know the problems that Ely has with traffic. But East Cambridgeshire District Council certainly does!

We know the problems caused by the Station Road Bridge, by Broad Street lorries, by the Stuntney by-pass, by car parking, and on and on.

Ask the local councils about it and contribute Government funding to implement solutions to the problems, not form yet another committee to sit around talking about them.

Three new housing developments are occurring now, at this moment, within the confines of the city centre, and a new committee is supposed to sit around and discuss why there are traffic snarl-ups? Come on - get real!

JAMES COPPOLA

Broad Street

Ely