WE HAVE just received a leaflet about the road closures for the Ironman Weymouth event in September.

The map, showing no less than 20 sections of roads which will be closed off for that event, looks like the D-Day map highlighting where our troops and our allies would land in France in the second world war.

Last year’s event caused absolute mayhem and great public anger because not only were roads closed off but marshals didn’t even know where to divert traffic.

The organisers promise “to get it right this time”, whatever that means. Surely the time has come for the British to reclaim their streets. They are being taken over across the country on an alarmingly increasing scale by athletes competing against each other.

Why should we be deprived of going about our business on the Queen’s Highway? A week ago we were in London and our hotel plans had to be changed so that we would be within walking distance of a church event because all roads surrounding the location were closed off for the Ride London event.

During the few days we were in the capital we heard much criticism about the number of times roads in London are closed off every year for such events. Local authorities must now stop denying the public the use of our highways. Let such events take place in purpose-built arenas.

Ron Kirby

Dorchester