It's not often that the local council has praise heaped upon them, but I would like to comment on their bold decision to divert the traffic from Kimpton Road to the natural access on the A217.

It's been six months but already the benefits to the residents are outstanding.

Firstly, I can sleep at night without thundering vehicles shaking my house to its foundations. I can sit in my garden and actually hear the birds singing. The Kimpton Park has been reclaimed by parents and children to play in without fear of traffic speeding to meet deadlines. There are no drunken teenagers shouting and being abusive, no more boy scooter racers tearing up and down Kimpton Road onto the industrial estate, no more traffic jams at rush hour on Gander Green Lane and no more fumes from vehicles so that you couldn't open your windows in the summer without choking.

The wildlife is slowly coming back, this year I have seen squirrels, hedgehogs and numerous amounts of birds including hedge and house sparrows.

The residents of Kimpton and surrounding roads are actually smiling when you talk to them in the street and it has certainly brought back the neighbourhood spirit.

I have spoken to people who work on the estate near Kimpton Road and they have told me that they can still park in Kimpton and walk through the barrier as there's plenty of free parking and are glad of a little bit of exercise.

I would personally like to say, and on behalf of my neighbours, thank you to the councillors for having the foresight of making this a stress-free and family orientated environment and for putting the well being of residents first instead of businesses.

J ALLUM Gander Green Lane Cheam