I AM sad when people take the time and trouble to write to the local paper and then hide behind anonymity. Are they afraid the local councillors will throw bricks through their windows? Everyone who lives in Okehampton is rightly irritated by the traffic situation here which can only get worse as more and more houses are built on the edge of town. I have been saying for many years that the solution is comparatively easy with a bit of good will and common sense and some expenditure! 1. Open the overflow car park at Waitrose onto the lane behind, (avoiding school opening and closing times) make it left turn only onto the lane and right turn only up Lodge Hill. This reduces the traffic trying to go around the roundabout and up the hill. 2. Take down the end classroom at the old primary school and widen the bridge to allow cars to exit from Lidl into North Street for drivers heading up Exeter Road. 3. Re-instate the east heading filter lane at Mill Road junction so traffic waiting to turn right no longer holds up the stream of traffic heading up to Exeter Road. 4. Move the metal pigs to the paved area beside St James chapel and allow cars/bikes only to access St James Street once more. Every time I'm in a long queue for the lights when I'm going to Kempley Road area this raises my blood pressure! 5. Open Oaklands Drive and widen/strengthen the bridge to take light traffic so that people can come/go  from/to the Hatherleigh area and access the Crediton/Exeter Roads without adding to town centre traffic. And finally, the one thing we have been pleading for — a direct access road from Exeter Road to Crediton Road without going through residential housing! The town council has neither the powers nor the authority to do this work. West Devon has the power to do some but now apparently has no money (what happened to the Waitrose money? Okehampton never saw any of it as far as I am aware). Devon County has the power and now also claims to have no money for major works, but other areas seem to get new roads — Cranbrook even got a new railway station! Of course new development on the eastern edge of town is in the bailiwick of the Hamlets Parish Council and not the town council. We are consultees regarding development but that is all. I totally understand your anonymous correspondent's frustration, indeed, I and many others share it. I would point out that there is an election coming in May — if you feel so strongly, I invite you to stand for one of the seats. Jan Goffey Okehampton Town Councillor