IT would seem that Ripon is ruled by selfish car drivers, some of whom do not live in the city, but merely drive through. They have achieved the re-opening of Borrage Lane by behaving like spoiled children who keep pestering and throwing tantrums until mother lets them have their way for the sake of peace.

Because of the unpleasantly spiteful, bullying and vindictive tone of some of your correspondents, I feel I must remain anonymous. I do not live in Borrage Lane. There is irony in that one of your more thoughtless and strident correspondents lives in Mallorie Close - a “private road” also maintained at our expense.

The objectors to the closure of Borrage Lane are too lacking in intelligence or imagination to see further than their own desire to drive where they like, as fast as they like, regardless of anyone else. Borrage Lane was a safe, quiet route into the city for many cyclists and walkers - many of them schoolchildren and holidaymakers from the caravan sites. High Cleugh is a much used area for recreation. With Borrage Lane closed, Mallorie Park Drive was easier for pedestrians to cross during the brief gaps in traffic while it was held up at the Somerset Row lights. With Borrage Lane open, those gaps disappear at rush hour time. So Borrage Lane was not a “private road”.

Anyone who habitually walks in Ripon would agree that we have more than our share of dangerous, anti-social drivers. To mention just a few of their habits; they drive over mini roundabouts, ignore red traffic lights (often preventing their fellow drivers from having their turn, and blocking the exits from the market square). They park on yellow lines and on the pavements in Westgate, while they are in the take-aways. They speed up to close gaps and prevent pedestrians from crossing. It was their bad driving that caused the closure of Borrage Lane and whenever anyone tries to curb their behaviour they scream with childish fury.

I am a driver and have recently driven about 1,000 miles, passing through many small towns and villages. They all have traffic calming measures, strict speed limits in residential areas and cameras to enforce them, for the benefit of people. Ripon is the only place I know where car drivers have priority.