IT COMES as no surprise to read that areas of this locality have pollution levels that exceed World Health limits.

You only have to attempt to drive around the towns to experience some of the worst congestion in the country and why is this?

Put quite simply it is as a result of the pathetic content of the Local Travel Plan which should be renamed the Local Cycling and Bus Plan.

It is directly as a result of the measures introduced under these plans that there is such a high level of pollution. Nothing has been done to improve the situation for the motorist and as far as I can see there does not seem to be anything in the pipeline either.

As long as the council continue to make roads narrower thus pressing more cars into less space the congestion caused will only make the pollution problem worse.

Cycle lanes are fine in theory but in practice it only causes cars to have to travel at a much slower pace thus increasing the level of exhaust fumes which the very small number of cyclists have to breath in.

The introduction of traffic calming measures adds to the problem. Road humps and restricted lane closures means that cars have to slow down and accelerate this increasing exhaust emissions.

Too many local roads have been either closed or become restricted which results in the remaining roads having to cope with even more traffic which in turn increases pollution.

Wallisdown Road is quoted as being one of the biggest offenders with nitrogen dioxide readings of 17.63mcg/m3 where the Central Office of Public Interest says the limit is 10mcg/m3.

These figures mean nothing to me and I have never heard of the COPI but when you see how much of Wallisdown Road has been surrendered to the cyclist it comes as no surprise to read these numbers.

The COPI might like to do the tests on Whitelegg Way they could go through the roof.

As usual the quotes in the Echo report contain words of wisdom from BCP Council staff the best on “BCP Council awaits the content of this guidance and new requirements for appraisal of full carbon impacts of transport schemes to ensure that the next plan is compliant” and a real gem “The council is currently utilising a range of innovative tools and technology to gather data that will ensure the next LTP is up to date with current best practice and derived from a robust evidence base”.

Hope you can make sense of that jargon and in the meantime enjoy the traffic jams.

ALAN BURDEN

Catalina Drive, Poole