I WAS delighted to hear of the trial traffic restriction through Poole Park proposed by Martin Whitchurch and the Poole Heritage Lottery Funding bid organisers.

This trial proposal deserves to succeed since it allows free access to the park from all directions for park users including disabled access whilst preventing the through-traffic “rat runners” from polluting the park environment.

The importance of this has been recently emphasised since the VW diesel emissions scandal came to light.

Many cars emit far higher quantities of dangerous Nitrous Oxide and Particulate matter from their exhausts than previously realised which then poisons our children in the very place they go to play in a so called “healthy” environment , the park.

I agree with the idea that Poole Park should be used for enjoyment and not as a quick bypass for the selfish to avoid a few minutes delay around the Civic Centre roundabout.

I would go further in hoping that the trial proves so successful in reducing traffic that it gets built in to the final park design as a permanent feature, preferably 24/7.

A. HOOPER

Verulam Road, Poole

Want to respond to this letter for publication? send us a letter