Martin Chapman, of Westfield Road, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, writes:

I read that there are ­proposals to close Fore Street in Salcombe to through traffic, which I can well understand, particularly in the height of the season.

There are, though, serious practical problems that at first sight, at least, would seem to be insurmountable. Assuming that Whitestrand will continue to offer short-stay parking for ­visitors to the town, the only way out from that end of Fore Street would be to have traffic lights to alternately reverse the flow and send traffic back on the B3204, part of which is also one way, or possibly up Onslow Road, which is very narrow.

That solution would generate continuous standing traffic backing up in all directions.

Again, to keep the car park for the Salcombe apartments open, alternating one-way ­traffic from the entrance to the other end of Fore Street would need to be imposed to allow access and egress, resulting in jams and congestion and more standing traffic.

Holidaymakers in the many holiday lets in Fore Street would not have access for ­loading and unloading their cases any closer than the long-stay car park, which would be a deterrent to at least the older visitors, who bring so much custom to the town.

If Whitestrand were to be cut off, the result would probably be a considerable reduction in the footfall for all the shops of both visitors and locals coming down for a quick shop, and

I question whether delivery ­drivers would appreciate ­hauling long and sometimes heavy barrow loads up and down the street.

Unfortunately, if we want visitors to arrive, there does not seem to be a physical solution to the problem and we will have to continue to rely on the polite give and take between drivers and pedestrians who come to relax and enjoy Salcombe, to spend in the shops and eat in the pubs and restaurants.

I would be interested to hear if I have missed something.