SIR — I am responding to issues raised by Mr J M Ely in his letter printed in the Free Press on October 26.

It is not our normal policy to respond to individuals who raise issues in this manner rather than addressing them to us directly. However, I feel on this occasion it is warranted.

Mr Ely, may I address you directly to begin with. Every road incident is unique, often traumatic for the victims and challenging for the emergency services.

I am disappointed that you felt the need to refer to the officers, who were undertaking their duties correctly and in difficult circumstances, in such a derogatory and unhelpful fashion.

I am also disappointed that the Free Press didn't remove the offensive references prior to print. They have apologised to both myself and my staff retrospectively and I am led to believe this was an oversight on their part.

That said I will move on to address the main content of your complaint.

There were two collisions on the A358 that day, and one was deemed to be potentially fatal at the time. Our priority is and always will be those involved directly in the crash.

Whilst we are very much aware of the inconvenience imposed on road users and residents when we are required to shut the roads and divert traffic, I am sure you can fully appreciate that we must tend to the needs of the injured as absolute priority.

We also need to assist our colleagues in the other emergency services and ensure their safety, and that of the injured parties, whilst they complete their work.

Running alongside these incidents were other matters requiring police attendance, communication and intervention in the West Somerset area.

We do not close a road entirely unless it is absolutely necessary.

Whilst one side of a carriageway might remain "clear", it might not be safe or appropriate to allow cars to pass the site of an accident.

Injured parties might still be present, ambulance and fire crews may still be working, or we might need to preserve the scene for investigation purposes.

Other vehicles travelling through the scene of the collision may permanently alter or destroy the evidence showing the cause of the incident and such evidence is often cast over a far wider area than the immediate vicinity of the vehicles involved. Once lost, this evidence can never be recovered.

I am sure that we would all want the emergency services to be afforded every opportunity to carry out their work safely and thoroughly, whether that be saving life or investigating the incident, were one of our own friends or family unfortunate enough to be involved.

I am fully aware that due to the road system in this area, when one of the major routes is disrupted it does have an adverse effect on other roads and our local communities.

With that in mind, Avon and Somerset Police, working in partnership with the traffic management department at Somerset County Council, are continuing work on a new traffic diversion system along the A39 and A358 between Minehead, Taunton and Bridgwater, and did launch the first route of a five route-phased project last year to directly address concerns and frustration from local residents.

The five new diversion routes were agreed, in consultation with local communities, and are to be initiated by the police in the event of an accident or emergency, where the road would be closed for more than an hour, to pre-empt any delays and divert traffic away from the incident.

The diversions do mean a longer route but ensure that you reach your destination more quickly and with less frustration.

They also mean that officers are able to concentrate on dealing with the main incident rather than being called away to deal with further delays and problems due to other motorists ignoring the pre-agreed route.

Historically, personal sat nav systems have also added to the problem, selecting alternative routes that are not always suitable, diverting motorists along narrow country lanes and through smaller villages sometimes resulting in larger vehicles becoming stuck - leaving villages gridlocked.

On the day in question, there were motorists who decided to remove cones and pass through road closures thus causing danger and unnecessary congestion.

I would like to thank everyone who assisted the officers and those involved in the accident by showing co-operation and respect, putting their own travel needs second to those of a seriously ill man.

I would also appeal to residents and visitors alike, to follow the diversion routes in the future.

I hope my letter has addressed and explained this issues raised by Mr Ely.

I always welcome feedback and am happy for people to contact me directly to discuss any local issues. Constructive feedback, both positive and negative, helps us to continue to improve our service.

There are also other methods in which you can have your say - for example beat surgeries and other public meetings which I actively encourage people to attend. Details can be found on the local "In my area" pages of our website. http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk">www.avonandsomerset.police.uk

You can contact me or any member of my team directly either by calling 101 or by emailing us through the website.

Lisa Simpson,

West Somerset Sector Neighbourhood Inspector,

Avon and Somerset Police.