LOCAL folk need to wise up. By crafty spin the proposed Lancaster western by-pass is being sold on the basis it is an answer to our horrific traffic problems - but let's not kid ourselves.

The major point of the new road is to improve Heysham's business prospects. No bad sentiment, but hang on, that must lead to more heavy goods traffic in the area not less?

A by-pass does nothing to alleviate the real traffic problem, which is the flow between Lancaster and Morecambe.

Despite requests from the public, Lancaster City Council has done nothing to improve the traffic flow at Scale Hall. Here traffic calming' has brought the whole place to a standstill. It's clear that there is significant room for improvement here without spending vast amounts of public money.

The real debate stemming from the by-pass proposals is whether we want to generate more environmental pollution and destroy forever our countryside to pursue business interests. What's the motto? Beauty surrounds health abounds'.

James Seddon, Lancaster.