IN his letter of August 21, Paul Hetherington of Malvern objects to “queue jumping” on the new part of the southern link to the east of the Ketch, Worcester.

Using the right-hand lane here is not only legal but sensible, and I shall continue with no conscience to queue jump.

If more cars on that stretch of use the right-hand lane, then those in the queue who wish to turn left in to Worcester at the Ketch will be able to achieve their aim sooner, and the length of the queue along the stretch from Powick would be shorter.

There will then, in the rush hour, be less congestion at the Powick roundabout. The failure to use both lanes of the new dual carriageway probably results from the inability and reluctance of local drivers to merge in an orderly fashion.

Sadly, the lack of imagination of those who herd like sheep in the left-hand lane is matched by another obstructive habit – that of leaving a 200-metre gap between one car and another on the Powick to Ketch stretch.

Again this habit helps lengthen queues with the resulting obstruction of roundabouts.

We will not get any benefit from the new investment until road users learn to use all the space available and merge.

Until the Norton roundabout is modified so that it has four lanes from the Ketch, two in each direction, we will see little benefit.

We have heard all the complaints about the Ketch roundabout, but little has been said about the fact that the restriction at the following one makes all the expensive improvements virtually useless.

And just one more thing. If local drivers would look to see if entering a roundabout is safe before they get to the white line, and then stop, there would be many fewer frustrated and angry motorists on the road.

They can do this in other parts of the country, an so why not round here?

Martin Ham

Cradley