MADAM,

Last week’s letters page brought several crucial issues about our local environment to the fore.

I am glad to see them being debated. Maurice Hudson’s lament for the state of the River Wye, Sarah James’ call for a solution to the traffic problems caused by the A40 where it meets the Wye Bridge and RW Bradley’s plea for protection of Chippenham Mead: all have serious concerns at their root.

What strikes me is that environmental problems are best tackled together, because in all likelihood we are, for instance, pedestrians as well as motorists. When we really start collaborating and seeing things ‘in the round’, that is when our town planning will have the long lasting success we hope it to have.

On RW Bradley’s question of the validity of what Friends of Chippenham Mead is doing in terms of seeking to relocate the playground, I can only reiterate that we, too, want to protect the village green and abide by its scheme of regulations. It is true that we already have a playground on the village green, but these days it could not be in a worse location, hence our campaign to move it to a more appropriate space. I understand his concerns about flooding and want to reassure him that we are taking this issue very seriously indeed.

Finally, we are keen to have the involvement of as many groups and interested parties as possible for our proposal, from the biggest businesses to the youngest residents. On that note, our ‘Design You Dream Playground’ competition is running until Friday 30th September, with renowned illustrator Axel Scheffler as judge. You can find more details on the internet under ‘Friends of Chippenham Mead.’

Rachel Jupp

Monmouth