I’VE just read and re-read The Fly in the Ointment and sad to say I’m in total agreement with the author.

I’ve been a Northwich resident for 65 of my 69 years. I was immensely proud of my town and have been upset to see it decline as much as it has.

I used to feel our councils, town, district and county, had our best interests at heart, but now I think they have their own agenda which rarely, if ever, seems to match the needs of the towns folk.

I’ll focus on last Sunday just to illustrate my point. The gyratory that the majority of towns folk didn’t want was suspended. Foolishly, I decided to go to Holmes Chapel from Barnton.

I arrived at the top of Winnington Hill at 12.02pm and got to the Chester Way/Bull Ring junction by NatWest at 12.29pm.

I understand this will be the ‘emergency’ traffic plan when the inevitable bridge closures take place.

What are the planners trying to do? From where I live they’re killing my access to the town. To get to Northwich I have to do battle with Winnington swing bridge, and the planners tell me the 1,200 new homes in Winnington village won’t make any difference to the flow of traffic using the single carriageway bridge.

Once I’m over the bridge I can sweep down Winnington hill and across Town Bridge as if I’m in the Monaco Grand Prix, but try to get to M&S and I have to drive up to the top of town and then swing back on myself.

And getting out of town is a whole different ball game, it is quicker to go via Budworth pump and Comberbach!

And eight months after opening I’ve still not found the energy to do battle with the one way system and visit Waitrose – sorry Waitrose I had such hopes when I heard you were coming to town.

So that’s it Northwich, I’m walking/driving away, nobody seems to listen to the ordinary people anymore.

Believe it or not it is quicker for me to get my shopping done in Stockton Heath and Warrington than it is to try and get into and out of Northwich for a reducing range of shops.

But don’t worry Northwich; the planners are looking after you. 

When Asda comes everything will be alright. Always assuming you can spare the time negotiating the gyratory to find it and God help you when one of the bridges breaks down because the council won’t.

Peter Barratt Barnton Northwich