Deep breaths – news is not good
The recent news that air quality in Leicester is among the worst not only in England but also in Europe made for depressing reading.
The main source of these toxic fumes, according to experts, is vehicles on roads.
Thus, reducing traffic congestion is the solution to this problem.
The fact that Leicester tops the league table for poor air quality in England and came ninth in the European league table may be viewed as an indictment of the authorities with whom responsibility for traffic management rests.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Wednesday, May 22 2013
I, therefore, say shame on the councillors of Blaby District Council for voting overwhelming in favour of building a town the size of Market Harborough on a site where the road network is so poor massive increases in traffic congestion are an inevitable consequence of their decision.
If they were unaware of these latest shocking statistics when they voted, the same cannot be said of their knowledge of local air quality measurements.
Measuring sites close to the proposed Lubbesthorpe new town have recorded sharp increases in air pollution for a number of years, bringing parts of Blaby in excess of acceptable EU and UK levels.
So shame on them, too, for showing a disregard for World Health Organisation guidelines when making their planning choices.
Those who ignored this information and the concerns of the residents they ostensibly represent may be accused of reckless indifference to the health and well-being of their constituency.
Val Brooks, Leicester Forest East.
Your article on the closure of Duncan Road Working Men's Club ("Such a shame that our club is closing," Mailbox, January 19) brought back some unforgettable memories for me.
In 1939-40, they held weekly dances, which I attended.
During one of them it was a "Ladies Excuse Me" dance.
I ran across the floor to ask this handsome young man to dance.
This dance eventually led to a romance which led to us being married for 60 years, so I say a sincere thank you to Duncan Road WMC.
Olive Fregstone, Wigston Magna.
5 Comments
by NickDiPerna1
Tuesday, February 12 2013, 4:36PM
“And to think the City was designated the UK's first 'Environmental City' in 1988.”
by karinfall1955
Monday, February 11 2013, 12:41PM
“@GrahamLE8. You make some excellent and salient points.”
by mole74
Sunday, February 10 2013, 11:11AM
“Leicester's failure to tackle air quality has hardly been mentioned in the local media. Surely an issue as important as this deserves more coverage. I can't see how closing one lane on Newark Street helps either. Doesn't this type of "traffic calming" create even more pollution?”
by 4_Stroke
Saturday, February 09 2013, 3:54PM
“I am not sure where Val is getting the data from but on Leicester Councils own web site the pollution levels are published for specific sites the pollution levels have come down over the past 5 years. Also we are nowhere near other areas of England or Europe. This letter is complete nonsense. If you want to know what pollution really is try going to Shanghai in China.”
by Graham_LE8
Saturday, February 09 2013, 10:34AM
“Val Brooks' letter makes several valid points and I fully support her in her critique of BDC's approval of New Lubbesthorpe; It will foster more traffic which in turn will generate congestion and fumes, however the placing of Leicester top of the league is in the here and now.
Whilst undoubtedly due to the mass usage of the internal combustion engine in all it's forms, a secondary cause that exacerbates the build up of these poisons in our immediate atmosphere is the traffic calming and vehicle use policies pursued by the council to the nth degree.
Residential streets do need calming to foster safer and pleasent environments for us to inhabit, but where the plan has gone wrong is in applying similar practices to the main routes and thoroughfares - standing traffic and stop/start progress around and through arterial roads produces more pollution than free-flowing moving vehicles do; this policy does not just discriminate towards cars users, as both deliveries and public transport are stiffled by the same hold-ups, thereby increasing costs unnecessarily and also offering no advantage (or encouragement) to bus use.
And what have we learnt? - nothing. The A426 bus lanes scheme proceeds unabated, not relieving any of the major bottlenecks of standing traffic at most times of the day, the buses may proceed a modicum quicker (but there's no plans from Arriva to increase the frequency), and they will arrive at Newarke Street to find the 'aorta' of the city suffering from a council induced coronory.
No wonder the city is in decline, it's having a heart attack, and the council want to undergo a 'boob job' Jubilee Park prettification. Cardiac surgery is what's needed, free up the main roads, and let the traffic flow. There will be less emissions, and commerce and patronage in the city will grow.
Start introducing some requirements of the bus operators to increase services (as they're the main beneficiaries of the bus lanes) - every time they withdraw services (such as last years' 84 reductions to Broughton Astley and Lutterworth) everyone who lives on that route then has no option but to use the car to visit Leicester, be it for work or shopping.
Open (or allow private operators to) up some of the derelict land in the city periphery for use as car parks, circulating traffic looking for an opportunity to park also pollutes more than necessary.”