Sir, – Farnham Town Council's action plan for the town centre, reported on your front page last week, is admirable where it calls for better pavements and less traffic. This people- sensitive approach is consistent with its concern over the size of the Crest Nicholson Sainsbury proposals for large-scale development in the East Street area, first expressed in a resolution following the town council's public meeting in March 2002, and reiterated since then. Before such a plan can work, however, two big problems have to be tackled. 1 Will narrowing Downing Street and the eastern part of The Borough throttle traffic to prolonged standstills? 2 Where are the alternative routes for the traffic which will be discouraged from using the town centre? At a recent stakeholders' workshop, held by the town council to debate this action plan, preliminary trials to test the "narrowing" theory were strongly recommended by the participants. Alternative routes involve the rest of Farnham and effective bypassing of through-traffic, and this remains a long-term strategic problem for Surrey Highways and central government. I am sure that town councillor Norris is is right when he says that these matters are not within our town council's control, inferring that it is Waverley Borough Council which makes makes our important decisions for us. Waverley is the authority pushing hard for the massive East Street development plan that will put additional traffic on to Farnham's streets and demand a lot of parking places, not all of which can be accommodated its five-acre underground car park. As Waverley Borough Council's portfolio holder for this Crest Nicholson Sainsbury scheme for East Street is also a Farnham town councillor, there should be scope for local influence through him – shouldn't there? E J Boyle, Old Compton Lane, Farnham