ESSEX County Council has “wasted” £15,000 on a traffic survey to help it come up with alternative ideas to a bypass for Halstead, it has been claimed.

But the county council has described its “many ideas” as simply “musings”, refusing to say any more.

Halstead Town Council has talked about the need for a bypass since the Sixties, and claims there are no alternatives.

The one-day survey, which took place on September 9, revealed 24 per cent of traffic was passing straight through Halstead.

The findings will be discussed at the end of August by county councillor Joe Pike, county councillor Norman Hume, the cabinet member for highways, and Halstead Town Council.

But Mr Pike, who lives in Halstead, has already made his mind up.

He said: “I didn’t find the study terribly useful. It wasn’t worth the £15,000.

“There isn’t an alternative to a bypass.

”I’m pleased the county council is looking into alternatives. At least at the end of the day you can say we have tried to look at alternatives and we can’t find any.”

Jackie Pell, Halstead town councillor, said: “There isn’t an alternative to a bypass. Anyone with any brains would know that.

“The study is a waste of money, but it proves a point – that we were right and know better than them.

“Our roads were built for horse and cart, so where else can you put the traffic?”

Nicola Spicer, spokeswoman for the county council, said: “There are many ideas to alleviate traffic through the town. Nothing has been proposed. There have been musings.

“The survey cost £15,000, as some of the points were manned, which means it was quite labour intensive and they had to be paid.

“The survey also used automatic number plate recognition, which adds to the expense.”