I WAS born on the Colchester council estate known as White City, between Harwich Road and Ipswich Road, and as a nipper until I left school in 1950 the area around them was my playground.

I remember the two roundabouts well because I passed the Harwich Road roundabout on my way to East Ward School every day and the Ipswich Road one we used to visit because we were at war and there were tank traps and pill boxes all around for us to play soldiers.

Great days then because almost everything we needed then came by horse and cart.

The baker, milkman, coalman, even the Co-op with pots and pans and paraffin oil on their blue carts.

No traffic fumes then folks just good healthy horse manure good for the roses.

Now as I remember it the two roundabouts I played around then were not all that old and were just two single circles, nothing like what they became because, as we were told then, traffic had increased and the alterations to take place were something futuristic and would increase traffic flow and they would take us into the future.

Now we are facing another set of alterations because, as we are told, traffic in the town has increased and we need them so as to increase traffic flow.

But hey, look what we what are getting this time. Yes folks you have guessed it, we are going back to the road system that existed when I was but a twinkle in my parents eyes.

Just think what all the money spent then and now could have done for the population.

Tell me Councillor Bentley, just what good are these alterations that are costing us council tax payers £10 million going to achieve, because from where I am sitting these road alterations are achieving nothing but absolute chaos for both road users public transport and business alike.

You are taking one pace forward and two paces backward and I think those horses and carts from my childhood days in that area would be a far better bet in future. I do love roses too!

Tony Ashby
Colchester