Visting Weymouth my granddaughters and myself were very distressed to see the removal of the last main line railway tracks along a road in Britain.

I believe this is because of a minority of careless people hurting themselves.

My granddaughters said they are part of Weymouth’s character and visits will not be the same.

San Francisco, many European cities and some UK cities have tramlines along roads without pampering to the careless few.

As a retired Town Planner l can say if Dorset Council Planners were doing their job the rail lines would have been listed as a Heritage Asset.

In a few years time their loss will be very much regretted.

Like the loss of the oldest passenger carrying railway in the world along Swansea Bay to Mumbles, closed in 1959 and the loss of Bournemouth’s Trolley Buses in the early 1960s Value of Heritage Assets often comes 20 years after they have been lost forever.

The lines were clearly not undermining the strength of the road and could have been covered over until properly valued and restored.

At least granite sets or bricks could have been installed into the new tarmac to show the route of the railway at very little extra cost.

Such a short sighted decision made by people who have no interest in history or historic character.

I assume those decision makers never visit National Trust and English Heritage sites as they have no interest in such places.

ROBIN WILLIAMS

Wiltshire