Long and winding road to normality

Picture the scene. England are playing their final group game of the European Championships - a mustwin against the Czech Republic. In the last-minute, Harry Kane steps up to take a crucial penalty. In pubs across the city, fans draped in flags grip their pints and hold their breath. The England captain fires into the top-corner, sending the team through to the knock-out stages - and triggering wild celebrations. Beer is flying everywhere and strangers embrace one another.

It sounds like another world. But come June 22, after 15 months of living through a pandemic, it could be reality. Because under Boris Johnson’s lockdown roadmap, all limits on social interaction could be lifted on June 21. It means we could also see the return of Canterbury Pride, with cheering crowds marching through the city’s streets - and revellers back in nightclubs. We could at last be hugging our friends and family without fear of inadvertently causing them harm.

Yet, of course, there is a long and winding road ahead. We could be tripped up by new variants or vaccine supply issues. But there’s no doubt that after many months of hurt, we finally have something to dream about.

Your correspondents make interesting comments about electric vehicles (EVS) [Letters, Gazette, February 11 and 18]. I have had EVS for nearly 30 years and seen major improvements. However, they do not mention the elephant in room: manufacturing thousands of EVS causes pollution and emissions, and their tyres and brakes also create pollution in use.

Air pollution and climate change emissions are national emergencies, but government and councils do not seem to realise this means that motorised road traffic must be reduced for the health of us and the planet. There is no need for road building, so the short, £29.6 million Sturry link road could fund more than 30 miles of foot and cycle ways. Government and councils promote active travel such as walking and cycling, but actually spend very little on it. Making real improvements for pedestrians and cyclists would reduce air pollution and climate change as well as supporting active travel.

A usable footway to every home should be the top priority – how else can we catch buses or go to the pub?

When are councillors going to do this - and support buses? Chris Lowe

Hackington Road, Canterbury