I think it is necessary to clear up some misunderstandings about plans for Priory Crescent, Southend.

The current proposal is to improve Cuckoo Corner by increasing the traffic flow capacity through the junction. It is proposed to do this by changing it from a roundabout to a traffic light controlled junction.

There will not be ten new sets of lights. There will be a set of lights at each of the four road junctions. There will be pedestrian crossings either as now or altered.

Traffic engineers are confident traffic lights will improve traffic flows. There will be a short stretch of dual-carriageway leading east from Cuckoo Corner to a proposed new filter lane for the Prittlebrook industrial estate.

There will not be a new bridge or full dualling of Priory Crescent. There will be no incursion into the park. Nor will the land of the Saxon King be reduced.

Many of the existing trees will remain, but some will need to be removed and will be replaced within the park on a two for one basis.

The Land of the Saxon King will be landscaped and a commemorative plaque or similar will be placed there. Had the squatters gone sooner then this work would have been completed by now.

If the squatters are concerned about the cost of their removal falling to the taxpayer, then pack up and go. We will pick up the cost of the rubbish removal and make an immediate start on the restoration and landscaping of the Land of the Saxon King.

This offer was made last summer, but they ignored it.

The estimated worst cost scenario for the whole scheme is approximately £11.5million. The council will have to contribute 20 per cent of the cost.

The council has already spent £1.8m of local transport plans funds, not from council tax, on a whole raft of analysis, traffic modelling and on a public inquiry which found in favour of improving the junction.

A great deal of the money was spent looking at all the alternatives, including the current Lib Dem ideas, and the results showed that the they did not achieve a sufficient improvement to warrant taking forward.

Also included in the £1.8m was the cost of the archaeological works for the Saxon King.

The benefits will be improved traffic flow, less congestion and thus less air pollution, better and more secure journey times for those running businesses and living to the east, the possible development of the Ekco estate to provide a business park and employment.

We may soon see the football stadium being built to the east of the town, with a conference and hotel facility. Garon Park is expanding the leisure offer with cricket, a new hotel and a pool with world class diving facilities. Stock Road and Temple Farm industrial estates have scope for improvements to provide more jobs.

The airport is poised to take off. Shoebury will grow with new housing and new employment.

We must deal with the infrastructure to enable us to facilitate all of this.

ANNA WAITE Councillor responsible for transport, Southend Council ...I note you report Southend Council has "wasted £1.8 million on preperations for the Priory Crescent road scheme. I was amazed councillor Anna Waite is quoted as saying "this seems an extremely high figure".

This is her department, she is responsible for it.

Laura Davidson Bournemouth Park Road Southend ...I have every sympathy with R Herne (letters April 14) not wanting income tax to be used for a new road at Priory Crescent, particularly as they live in Westcliff. But why is it so unreasonable for the authorities to spend just a tiny fraction of the billions raised in fuel tax, road tax, insurance tax and motoring VAT, to improve the one viable exit route from the east of Southend. Those of us who live in the east, echo the public inquiry's conclusion - doing nothing is not an option.

S Mills
Shoebury Road
Southend