SIR – The accident which blocked the A4440 road from the Teme bridge to the A38 last Friday caused mayhem and traffic chaos all around Worcester. It was a major subject of conversation in pubs and bars that evening, where many agreed that the city traffic system is perilously fragile, and constantly on a knife edge. And even if they were to dual the road from Carrington Bridge to the Teme Bridge, it would not solve the problem if there were another accident on that road. The obvious need for a new bridge to the north of Worcester was mentioned But of course, there was such a plan! The County Surveyor many years ago was an internationally respected civil engineer, Mr W R Thompson, who built the ‘Northern Link’ between the M5 and the A449, north of Worcester. The next phase of that plan would have continued that bypass across the river and round the west of the city to link with existing roads to the south. It was the County Council’s stated policy. The result would have been a bypass for Worcester, for all through traffic.

So what happened to this plan? This is where opinions differ, but many subscribe to the conspiracy theory, as stated vehemently on Friday night in my local. It was realised that this proposed road would go through some very upmarket areas in two Tory constituencies, the current MPs being Robin Walker and Harriett Baldwin. It would, literally, make inroads into the Bevere area and, as the western bypass, would encroach on places where well-heeled Tory voters live on Harriett’s patch. Then, the conspiracy theory goes, the plan was quietly dropped, by agreement with two MPs and senior Tories on the County Council. So instead of angering their NIMBY Tory supporters, the County Council just anger everyone.

Is it true ? We shall never know. Which MPs were involved, the current incumbents or their predecessors, Peter Walker and Michael Spicer? Again, we’ll never know. But there is nothing to stop Robin Walker and/or Harriett Baldwin starting to lobby for that western bypass now – today ! Again, there are rumours that they, in collusion with prominent Tory county councillors, have refused to lobby for it. Is that true ? Perhaps the MPs should be asked. Why, when little Ledbury has a bypass, does Worcester have to do without ?

So, the next time you sit fuming in the Worcester traffic, or have to travel through Upton-on-Severn to get from Bath Road to St Johns, you might just muse on this. It may be just a conspiracy theory, but the evidence for it is all there !

David Withey

Malvern

UK can say no to EU military

SIR – I would like to refute the misinformation and hyperbole from Will Richards that an EU Army is waiting in secret to be unleashed within months – and how a vote to Leave the EU would stop the UK bring involved.

It is correct the EU doesn’t have an army. It does encourage military co-operation between member countries, which already run joint EU operations, and some European politicians would like to see stand-alone EU armed forces.

Member countries would have a veto on any such plans, so the UK would only take part if it chose to – could you really see David Cameron scrapping the Armed Forces Covenant and placing the British Army under full EU control?

The EU doesn’t have the legal power to act in this area unless member governments actively and, more importantly, unanimously give their permission. If Cameron or just one of the other 27 heads of state says “No” – the issue is stone dead.

The EU treaties do allow for “the progressive framing of a common defence policy that might lead to a common defence”. But this will only come about “when the European Council, acting unanimously, so decides”. Unlike in other areas of EU decision-making, the European Commission can’t propose laws about security and defence, and any decisions in these areas must be made unanimously, so the UK effectively has a veto.

UK law also says no defence powers can be handed from the UK to the EU without the approval of Parliament AND a separate referendum. So the government would need the support of BOTH the public and MPs.

Krister Halvorsen

Worcester

Leave before migrant flood

SIR – The French Coastguard Chief says “The Channel is the new Med”. Apparently we have just three patrol boats for 7,000 miles of coastline, as a second boat-load of Albanians is found trying to land in the UK. The Chief Inspector of the Border Force said that the failure to secure large stretches of coastline was “leaving the back door open to Britain”.

Two Albanians were recently returned to Germany, where the German Chancellor, Frau Merkel, took it upon herself to invite all-comers into Germany, showing contempt for the security of all European countries and their peoples. The Albanians were simply released to try their luck again! This is typical.

It is widely accepted that it is only a matter of time before Merkel compels all the EU countries to pay the price of her arrogance, by granting all Germany’s new immigrants German passports. If the British people do not vote to leave this costly an undemocratic EU experiment, there will be absolutely nothing we can do to stop them flooding into our country, bringing still more crime, more overcrowding, and still more costs to communities and to the hapless taxpayer.

Vote out while you still have a vote that counts, and a country worth voting for.

Will Richards

Malvern