WHATEVER one thinks of the current proposals being put forward by BCP, I think any sensible person would support the concept that we need to encourage people to use their cars less.

Unfortunately that has escaped the major banks who for their own financial benefit are closing branches, thus creating more car journeys .

Take Barclays as an example. For many years we had a branch at Wallisdown which at just over half a mile away was within walking and cycling distance. If you had heavy bags of coins to carry, you could park within a short distance.

On the closure of that branch, we had Winton which at 1.4 miles was not within walking distance but cycling and depositing of coins was possible.

Now we are faced with going to three branches. Town Centre, Westbourne, both about 2.6 miles away, or Castlepoint , four miles away. None are within walking or cycling distance and the easiest place to deposit coins is Castlepoint.

Boris Johnson boasts of wanting to encourage cycling and walking and manages to find significant sums of money to do but does nothing to curb the activities of the banks in forcing people into their cars through their closure policies.

The same could be said of our local politicians of all persuasions.

RF COOPER

Laidlaw Close, Poole