I WOULD like to respond to a number of recent letters about the relief road.

Big, yes our plans have to be big ('Easier way to solve the problem' by Michael Wheller, March 17) to solve transport problems both within and beyond the Weymouth - Dorchester corridor ('Sadly this is not a relief road alternative' by Coun Ian C Gardner, March 16).

This is something the Weymouth Relief Road certainly will not do. Also, to tempt people out of their cars and on to bicycles and/or public transport will need big ideas.

Stephen Bunting's letter ('More roads are not the answer', March 14) showed a most refreshing attitude to the madness of 33 million cars on the roads of Britain and highlighted one person's solution to the problem.

The bicycle is an amazingly flexible answer to many, not all, transport problems and one which is currently vastly under exploited for a variety of reasons.

Since the 1998 transport white paper right up to the present time, Government policy has been to build new roads through AONB and SSSIs only in the most exceptional circumstances.

Weymouth is not exceptional - there are 100s of towns with similar or more severe traffic problems than ours.

As environmental damage will soon be costed into the benefit to cost ratios of a road project the final cost of the Weymouth Relief Road can be expected to soar beyond the already staggering £77 million estimate.

Building the relief road would be an easy option giving small initial returns but no long-term benefits to our community - to show vision and commitment to a sustainable future for Weymouth is a huge challenge.

The county council has the opportunity to take up this challenge and to create a transport system, based on reduced car use, for us all to be proud of.

I would like to ask the planning committee to accept this challenge on April 5, to reject the Weymouth Relief Road and build us a transport system to take us on into the 21st century and beyond, which will allow residents, businesses and visitors together to enjoy our beautiful County.

David Moth, (Bypass the Bypass), Springfield Road, Broadwey.