An American author once wrote: “No matter how carefully you plan your goals, they will never be more than pipe dreams unless you pursue them with gusto.”

The transport study for this area is full of ideas and plans – some of them not so new – and there is no doubt that is will take a lot of gusto as well as bucketloads of money to see some of the more imaginative schemes see the light of day.

But it’s all about unclogging our streets, taking the growing number of vehicles out of our congested town centres and perhaps even making the environment a healthier place to grow up for our children and their children.

A light rail linking towns and villages in our conurbation sounds wonderful, although it sounded pretty good when it was mooted 20 years ago.

But a congestion charge?

Granted, it’s an outside bet and not too many councils are showing any kind of excitement.

But what about Bournemouth?

Diminishing numbers of car parking spaces, high cost of a space in council car parks and a traffic system that’s not the friendliest in the UK.

Surely ripe for a congestion charge within the ring road and with the right supporting park and ride structure?

It’s all very good being traffic free, but tourist free we don’t need.