FOR more than 12 years now one of our local councillors has sponsored the creation of a one-way traffic system around Wooburn's village green.

This idea has been resisted and not agreed with by most of the interested parties who live or work close to The Green.

Finally it has been decided by the traffic management team at County Hall that instead of making all the perimeter roads into one-way roads with the consequential increase in traffic speeds (but with speed bumps to slow it down!) only two roads would become one-way and we will have crossings.

To date, I do not know if the final proposals for the revised traffic management scheme for Wooburn Green will be made available to the public and it is interesting that "the revised scheme has now been approved by the Cabinet Member..." (My bold type for the unnamed person who approved the plans).

The residents of Wooburn Green have over the years formed and re-formed themselves into various fighting groups to prevent the one-way system being foisted upon them.

This has entailed a lot of knocking on doors, the creation and distribution of leaflets, contacting the press and radio, setting up petitions, writing and persuading other people to write to Members of Parliament as well as publicising the council's notices of public meetings to ensure good attendances and broad comments.

To everyone who is interested in the quality of the area in which they and others live or work I would urge them to keep aware of what is happening (and is proposed) around them.

We live in a "democratic society" but that does not mean that much notice is taken of an individual's opinions unless they gather together others of like minds to present some opposition to those that have power.

What happened at Wooburn is only an example of the adage that the "price of democracy is eternal protest." It can be hard work but it does work.

John Cook

Western Drive

Wooburn Green