Electric trams must be in transport mix

SIR David King, the former government chief scientist, stated on Radio 4 on February 9 that all internal combustion engines, diesel and petrol, should be phased out from towns and cities in less than ten years because we are poisoning our children.

This, of course, means electric propulsion. Electric cars, electric bikes, battery-powered buses and lorries. But the mass mover of people will have to be trams.

How else are we going to get large numbers of people to work in Bath from Chippenham, Trowbridge, Bradford on Avon, Radstock etc.

Sir Peter Hendy said: “The idea that it can be done without public funding, I’m afraid is nonsense” (“Expert says tram idea for city is ‘nonsense’”, WDP, November 20).

My suggestion is that we should persuade the two knights to get together for a chat. If Sir David can change his mind about diesel vehicles, as he says in the broadcast, it might be possible for Sir Peter (a dedicated bus man) to change his mind about trams.

Of course buses will be in the mix, but trams are the only vehicles that can perform major mass transit of passengers, with zero emissions. David Lucas

Bath