LETTER: Long may these events continue

Would the residents of Chichester who complain about the traffic 'chaos' after both of the festivals at Goodwood, please think what it must be like for the residents that live near all the other sporting venues over the country.

We all have to suffer the inconvenience caused when there is a large influx of visitors to the area where any event is held.

We are residents of Whitton and live 200 yards from Twickenham stadium. When the Rugby World Cup was being held last year, the A316 was closed to all traffic and that included traffic from the M3 going into and out of London, for two hours before kick off, while the match was played and for two hours after the end of the match and the traffic was diverted through all the back roads and shopping and causing traffic jams.

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Park and Ride was in place to the outside of the area which meant that the shops and businesses lost trade that we normally have during matches. This was not only for four days as happens when the Festival of Speed is on, but for four or five weeks.

When we bought our house in 1973, there were rugby matches being played and we accepted that there would be disruption for many weekends throughout the season, but have never felt the need to complain even though the timing of the matches is really inconvenient to residents now that the timing of the kick-offs has to suit the television companies.

We have just learnt to organise our lives accordingly which may be an idea for some of the more dissatisfied residents of the Chichester area.

I presume that L T Heald has never attended a rugby match or similar event at one of the many sporting arenas in the country.

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It would be a pity to see all these events stopped because of a few people that cannot live with four days’ inconvenience twice a year, events that bring a lot of pleasure to many people. Long may they continue.

Mrs R R Allan

Warren Road

Whitton

Middlesex