SIR: I've just come back from the 'nature reserve' in Shawford that has become a cause to Extinction Rebellion and those few local residents opposing the car parking solution Hampshire County Council (HCC) and South Western Railway (SWR) have kindly proposed for Shawford Station (Chronicle, July 2).

This strip was used by travellers and now can't be accessed for maintenance and has become a wasteland (speaking as a botanist). It's also worth noting that downlands are grasslands not woodlands.

Shawford station is already being used by people on electric scooters, imagine how it will be with the new electric car charging points installed, the new cycle hub and the Sustrans paths finally linked. All this is to get people out of their cars and onto electric trains. How green would you like it?

If the station service is reduced or even closed because of ongoing parking issues, people will simply drive to Winchester or elsewhere to make their journeys. This means more traffic on the roads, not less? Local youth will be driven to Peter Symonds/Brockenhurst rather than taking a five-minute train ride. Make no mistake, this threat of closure is very real, especially now. Some local residents don't mind this, fewer noisy trains obviously. Some are actively campaigning against the station.

Local residents have suffered over recent years from poor parking and limited infrastructure. HCC and SWR have come up with a solution that would keep the station alive and vibrant and get rid of the parking problems. Residents' groups were consulted, their comments noted and incorporated into revised plans. I was at those very meetings. There is a great (green) solution to all these problems that would benefit many people, but it is being opposed by a handful of very loud, dare I say NIMBYs. Please go ahead HCC and SWR, solve these problems!

Martin Bell,

Shepherds Lane,

Compton