FURTHER to previous correspondence with regard to the ongoing saga of the Widemouth sub-station, all representations made by Poundstock Parish Council have been ignored and through a combination of wilful negligence, ignorant interference, broken promises and an inequitable law which allows public utilities to obstruct the highway, it is increasingly unlikely that we will ever have the combined footway and cyclepath which parishioners of Pound­stock asked for in their Parish Plan.

This is a pity because it would have attracted funding from numerous environmental, tourism and road safety sources and would have given no excuse to mountain bikers to use the coast path.

If there is any blame, then it must be borne by the legislators at Westminster who conferred outrageous freedom on public utilities to place their equipment ­anywhere they choose, and also the county highway authority.

Perhaps it's just as well that Cornwall County Council voted to do away with itself in the face of public opinion, for the late lamented body consistently failed to protect public interests on the century old roads on this stretch of coast, despite more than 30 years of pleading.

I begin to feel that I am wasting my time. Once upon a time enlightened highway authorities built roads for the passage of transport. Now, it seems, nothing which can be done to make movement more difficult is beyond their remit.

Ineffective speed reduction measures, a blind eye are par for the course in Cornwall. (I think I'll plant biofuel in my verge!) I despair. And if I seem obsessed with parochial concerns, may I say how well builders, landscape ­gardeners and travellers are likely to receive the gating of Ivyleaf Hill? The next thing will be security ­cameras.

Poundstock Parish

Coun­cillor,

Widemouth Bay.