I read with interest the ‘Five Top Priorities for Enfield’ in news from Enfield North MP Nick de Bois (delivered at no cost to the taxpayer), which includes taking heavy traffic out of Bullsmoor Lane.

Perhaps Mr de Bois should familiarise himself with the saga of the North-South Road prior to its construction in the 1990s.

Prior to its construction, Enfield Lock Residents’ Association, and other local resident associations, attended the public inquiry and proposed that the North-South Road (as it was known as then) should be taken east of the Royal Small Arms Factory from Mollison Avenue to join with the M25 at junction 26, thus avoiding the residential areas of Enfield Lock and Bullsmoor Lane and a large JMI school. Despite our arguments of an increase in traffic volume, increased pollution, etc, the then-ruling Conservative council argued adamantly that the road should not go east of the Royal Small Arms Factory using, amongst their arguments, stray bullets from the firing range of the Royal Small Arms may cross the carriageway. Needless to say the residents failed in their endeavours to ease the burden that is now, and has been since the road was built, suffered on a daily basis by residents of Enfield Lock and Bullsmoor.

The question, therefore, is why, when we foretold the problems that would arise if the North-South Road was built along its present alignment, has it taken nearly 25 years for the Conservative Party to see the error of their ways?

David M Godfrey

Soham Road, Enfield Lock