IT HAS now been established beyond all reasonable doubt that the destruction of Weymouth’s successful and pretty roundabouts and their replacement by dozens of traffic lights is a disaster.

The new ‘cross’ roads are dangerous, ugly and incompetently designed (although I have not seen comment about the road lanes opening out just before the lights, and then closing down to one lane only yards after).

Furthermore the interminable road works and traffic jams are causing lasting damage to Weymouth’s economy and to tourism.

The questions are: Why was it allowed to happen and what can be done to prevent it happening again?

The causes are deeply psychological.

Our traffic roundabouts were ruled by a simple set of directions laid out in the Highway Code.

The vast majority of motorists obey these rules and exercise common courtesy and good sense to keep themselves and the other traffic moving.

Motorists are responsible for their own actions, are trusted and the system works beautifully to the extent that other towns are now doing away with traffic lights and replacing them with roundabouts.

There is, however, a grave problem confronting officialdom in Dorset because with roundabouts officialdom has no role.

There must be an independent inquiry to establish the degree of guilt of the planners, traffic engineers, council officials, and everyone on the various committees who did not do their utmost to prevent this disaster, including the politicians and councillors.

Punishment must follow.

George Granycome, Weymouth Bay Avenue, Weymouth