SIR — As somebody who regularly pays people to sit in the ever growing traffic jams on the local roads, I would be interested to know if the statistical evidence that traffic levels are lower at half term is specific to the A39 at Carhampton or is county wide.

If, as I fear, it is indeed county or country wide data, maybe the boffins at County Hall would care to ponder on the fact that the reason traffic levels in Taunton/Bridgwater etc. are lower is because the kids are not being ferried to the schools in the town and along with half the population of Swansea and Birmingham, are sat in a traffic jam in Carhampton.

I should also take a stab in the dark and wonder if you need to check with Butlins regarding special events as they are unlikely to need special events during half term as they are going to be full of holiday makers anyway.

Is it also possible for those in charge of planning the roadworks in West Somerset to check in their road resurfacing manual to clarify which area of the operation requires eight men in hi-vis jackets to sit in eight separate lorries reading The Sun while the other four men out on the road are engaged in extensive tests to gauge whether the shovel handle will bear the weight of a full grown man leaning on it.

Finally, could the planners check to see if maybe the traffic levels would be just that little bit lower between 10pm and 6am (maybe some sort of light would be in order).

Sean Coleman,

Coleman Removals,

Williton.