Patience is clearly a virtue if you live in the village of Marcham.

People there have been campaigning - without success - for a bypass since 1936, making it the most delayed road scheme in the country, according to a survey by The Times newspaper.

With no prospect of the new road being built in the near future, they are going to have to exercise even more patience in the years to come.

Some delays are understandable. The Second World War, for instance, is a pretty good excuse for work being put off.

Others are not. As their predecessors made the promise so long ago, it's time the Government and the county council moved the plan back to the top of the list.

Even a sensible timescale of years rather than months would provide some hope for this traffic clogged community.

Until then, villagers have no choice but to continue doing what they are best at - waiting in vain.