Car-free day plan to be applauded

The idea of a car-free day in Canterbury (Car-free Day Plan Backed/we Want To Ban Cars For A Day, Gazette, January 12) should certainly be organised.

Is one day a year too much for car drivers to cope with? I think not.

I applaud Cllr Alan Baldock (Lab) for putting the idea forward to Canterbury councillors.

He talked about many European cities doing this. Decades ago cities in Italy had car-free days on Sundays, freeing up roads for social events as well as reducing the pollution and danger from cars.

I would like for it to be once a month, but this idea can be tried to begin with.

I think that Cllr Baldock’s suggestion of a day in September would be good.

This would be a normal business day to give people the opportunity to see how else they might get to work and children to school.

And if students returning to the city see this on arrival, they might get the idea of using public transport as much as possible.

It would be good to co-ordinate it with the European car-free day on September 22

Free public transport on that day might encourage them, but they might then be disincentivised when they do have to pay.

They might find using buses and trains less stressful than driving and parking.

And the big problem of pollution in the city needs to be addressed urgently.

I don’t understand Cllr Steve Williams (Con) saying cars are more environmentally friendly than they have been. Maybe some are, but with the increase in car sales and housing in Canterbury, something has to be done to address the problem. Let’s give it a go Marilyn Sansom Grove Lane, Old Wives Lees

Contrary to what Steve Coombs believes, highlighting the health problems caused by air pollution is not “scaremongering by the green contingency”.

Nor is air pollution an isolated problem in one area of Canterbury.

Leading medical and public health organisations have highlighted the very real harms to health from air pollution.

Levels in Canterbury are above legal limits. In 2015 Public Health England estimated there were 81 early deaths in Canterbury due to particulate matter alone – notwithstanding further premature death and ill health caused by nitrous dioxide including the welldocumented exacerbation of asthma, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and possibly dementia.

These are perhaps more serious for ordinary people than some temporary travel inconvenience.

Air vehicle emissions are a significant contributor to poor air quality in the city.

In addition to illegal nitrous dioxide levels, ozone has been above national limits in both 2015 and 2016,and was so high on one occasion in 2015, that Canterbury was one of just 10 areas in the UK reported for exceeding of an hourly limit.

Unfortunately we do not know what the levels of particulate matter are as these are not measured despite the obvious health dangers.

With more cars on city roads as result of new house building over the next decade or so, poor air quality will remain a continuing problem.

A car-free day which helps trigger a discussion about what can be done to tackle the problem of traffic congestion and deteriorating air quality is very welcome.

On Wednesday, January 25, at 7pm at the Friends’ Meeting House there is a meeting to launch a Canterbury Clean Air group.

If you are concerned about air pollution and want to help with a pollution monitoring project or simply to learn more about this growing problem – please come along. Prof Stephen Peckham St Augustines Road, Canterbury

I think banning cars from Canterbury for one day is a brilliant idea.

The question should be how do we do this rather than should we do this?

The fact that the A28 runs through Canterbury will be the major challenge but if a summer Sunday is chosen I believe residents will enjoy the day.

When the Tour De France came to Canterbury I remember walking round the city after the race ended enjoying the lack of traffic.

I am a driver and a pedestrian and notice how the city roads discriminate against pedestrians.

A no-car day could change minds about walking as a safe alternative to driving short distances. Connie Nolan Wells Avenue, Canterbury

I am all in favour of the suggestion of car-free day and, if it’s a success, perhaps the action could happen monthly as the cleaner air generated would benefit all of Canterbury’s citizens.

I gather from respected studies the air quality in our lovely city is becoming worse with each passing year.

With the government imposition of an increase in new houses in our area the subject of transport and cleaner air quality is a topic that certainly needs debating. Christine de Caires St Augustines Road, Canterbury

The Canterbury District Green Party warmly welcomes the possibility of a carfree day in Canterbury.

It will need careful planning to ensure the city continues to function effectively for that one day, but the congestion and air pollution in our city have reached a point that something has to be done. . However, we would like to challenge the claim in your report of ‘green scaremongering’ over air pollution levels in the city.

Public Health England has stated that 80 people are dying prematurely each year in Canterbury as a result of air pollution.

This is just for one type of air pollution. When deaths attributable to all types of pollution are taken into account, public health experts state that it’s reasonable to believe the total is more than 100 every year.

The council’s own monitoring stations show air pollution regularly breaches EU limits and with 4,000 new homes on their way at the Mountfield Park development, this problem is only going to get worse.

Air pollution permanently damages the development of the lungs in children and we have four primary schools within 500 metres of the A28.

Air pollution is real, measured and having a direct impact on our young and old and it is essential that we finally start doing something about it. Henry Stanton Canterbury District Green Party, Richdore Road, Waltham

Plans to reduce car use in Canterbury should be welcomed especially as there is no end in sight to congestion and pollution in the City.

Worse is to come in the future as no real transport plan exists for new housing developments such as Mountfield Park.

While the idea of a car free day should be considered, it is important to base any plans on a carrot rather than a stick approach.

An outright ban on cars with no alternative means of transport is not the way forward.

Instead, why not discourage car use by giving people incentives to use public transport, to walk and cycle?

There needs to be a coordinated effort by Kent County Council, Canterbury City Council, Stagecoach and Southeastern trains to offer free or heavily-discounted travel to Canterbury on a “leave the car at home” day.

Incentives could also include discounted entry tickets for visitors to Canterbury attractions who produce a valid bus or train ticket.