Driving cars off our roads isn’t helping anyone

I read your article ‘How they’re using Covid as an excuse to drive cars off the road’ last week as one who has been severely impacted by this ridiculous new policy.

In my part of South London, I have seen scores of pesky plant troughs erected over the last few months to block all the short-cuts. Bristol’s mayor claims that the changes in his city – which are happening nationally – will help it emerge from the Covid crisis in a more sustainable way, with improved walking and cycling routes for everyone. But I have not seen any evidence of this whatsoever in London.

The roads in the capital have merely been blocked to thwart motor vehicles.

In addition to blocking residential roads, barriers have been erected to widen pavements (and narrow the road, to impact drivers) under the premise that it is for social distancing.

I don’t see anyone actually walking in the extra road space – it just causes gridlock.

Geraldine Deacon, Croydon

I live in Cardiff and our council was very quick in closing a road called Castle Street in the city centre, using Covid as an excuse. There was no consultation of either businesses or road users. It has effectively cut the city in half.

We are the capital city of Wales and we cannot get from east to west without diverting into long, circuitous routes, which are adding to gridlock and snarling up the whole road system.

Public transport is virtually non-existent in Cardiff and if you cannot walk or cycle you have to use a car.

No thought has been given to disabled or elderly people.

The result of all this is that people are not going into the city centre and businesses will fold. Our council doesn’t seem to be worried about the loss of business rates or the difficulties they are creating for everyone.

L. Davies, Cardiff

Southsea’s seafront roads were closed in March because of the lockdown. At that time it was justified – now it isn’t.

The measures have moved traffic inland, with more accidents, increased pollution and parking problems. The people in the ‘firing line’ were not consulted and no amount of protests makes those in charge see sense.

Jane Carpenter, Southsea

Reducing available road space to vehicles actually worsens the problem of pollution by slowing down traffic, making streets more congested and creating more toxic fumes. The best way to improve things is to get traffic moving.

Ian MacFarlane, Beckenham

There is a massive anti-car policy in Oxford, a city which manufactures cars. It is being transformed into a ‘quaint’ city attractive for foreign tourists but devoid of employment opportunities for its youth.

Chaka Artwell, Oxford