Westmoreland bridge still not fixed

The Editor, Sir:

I write to bring to your attention the fact that the Westmoreland Bridge, which spanned the Wag Water River on the road to Highgate, was washed away in 2007 in the rains associated with Tropical Storm Gustav, thus rendering the main road to Highgate and its environs impassable.

Despite the public assurances of the National Works Agency's (NWA) Stephen Shaw on the television programme 'Your Issues Live' over one year ago that work would have commenced on the bridge by December 2010, there has been no evidence of any such works being carried out to date.

To make matters worse, the three longer alternative routes to Highgate, namely the road through Belfield; the road through Esher and the road through Whitehall/Harmony Hall have not been maintained and are in a deplorable condition.

The people of Highgate and its environs have suffered this great inconvenience long enough and their patience is running out. I am, therefore, urging the NWA to give this long outstanding project the priority it deserves.

In the meantime, I would also urge the largely ineffective St Mary Parish Council to carry out much-needed maintenance work on the roads mentioned herein without further delay.

- Stephenn. A. Johnson