Dr Carl Gwinnutt, of Coleridge Barns, Chillington, writes: The flooding on the road between Sherford Cross and Coleridge Cross has been an intermittent problem since early 2014 and permanent since early October. Residents have registered the problem with the council on numerous occasions, but to no avail. The most recent reply from Devon County Council on September 7, 2014, from Mr Adam Keay, stated: 'Unfortunately, due to the restructuring of the highway department and subsequent reduction in manpower, the process for rural drainage clearance has changed so that the parish lengthsman is the first point of contact to clear reported blocked buddle holes. 'At the same time, the ­lengthsman service itself has been reduced so that each parish only receives a one-day visit every few months, which does not leave much time for each buddle hole. In this ­location our contractor has been to the site a few times to attempt to clear it, but has found difficulties accessing the ditch inside the field. 'I have recently managed to speak to the owner of the field and I now understand that ­historically the ditch was cleared mechanically rather than by hand because the barbed wire on top of the stock fence makes manual clearance of the ditch impractical. 'I have today requested some funding from our ­ditching budget to have a ­digger attempt to clear the ditch. We will also ensure the buddle hole itself is clear, by jetting if necessary, once the ditch is cleared.' Currently, the road is impassable on foot, and ­positively hazardous if you drive a small car and only safe if you drive a four-wheel-drive vehicle. In addition, the water hides several significant potholes. Next week sees the start of the new term for Stokenham Primary School, and many ­parents use this road to access the school. How long will it be before someone has an accident driving through this water, especially if it freezes? Perhaps the intervention of the your newspaper might just focus the council's attention and help to resolve this ­problem and make the road safe and usable once again for everybody.