Any traffic disruption should be proportionate

Sir, — On Wednesday last week many of your readers will have experienced long tailbacks on Northfield End (back to the Fair Mile), Marlow Road, King’s Road and Bell Street in Henley due to four-way temporary traffic lights at the two mini-roundabouts where those roads meet.

In addition, the pedestrian crossing in Marlow Road was barricaded off.

The real annoyance was that all this chaos was caused by works in the paved area beside the bottom of King’s Road — not even in the road itself. However, the contractors, who parked their vehicles (including a trailer) in King’s Road, then coned off an even bigger area, as you can see in my photographs. With a little planning, the work could have been done while only narrowing King’s Road by a yard or so, allowing two-way traffic to continue with no need for any traffic controls at all.

I don't know who grants permission for roadworks but part of their function should be to ascertain that traffic controls and disruption are necessary and proportionate. They certainly were not in this case. — Your faithfully,

David Watson

Laureate Gardens, Henley