LETTER: Opportunity for less pollution

Mr Marson's recent letter touches on an issue which, although it has considerable relevance to the A27 relief road, appears not to have been mentioned before in this context. Surprising, since it has recently been given considerable prominence in the media. I refer to air pollution caused by vehicles.

Various figures have been given for the number of people who have died prematurely as a result of vehicle fumes.

I haven’t a clue how accurate these are but anyone living near a road will, surely, agree vehicle fumes reduce the quality of the air they breathe. That fact needs to be put next to the geographical fact that the prevailing wind in England is southerly or from the south west.

A prevailing wind is presumably one which is present more than half the year; could a geographer perhaps let us know for how many days the prevailing wind has been blowing.

It follows from this that we residents of Chichester are already getting more pollution than we should, and that any A27 relief road to the south of the city will simply add to this.

Why, it’s worth asking, do Highways England and a number of local councillors not seize on the opportunity for reducing the amount of air pollution we have to put up with by opting for a northern by-pass?

Yes, the construction process would produce problems for a few residents who live north of Chichester; but that would be significantly less than the problems posed to residents of areas close to the proposed southern routes.

As for the loss of views of the South Downs, intelligent use of cuttings and perhaps tunnels would significantly reduce this.

And why should through traffic drivers not be able to enjoy a countryside view rather than have to drive through yet another built-up area.

I look forward to discovering the HE’s and local councillors’ views on this matter of vehicular air pollution.