SIR: We are well aware that towns and cities are polluted from vehicles's toxic fumes; but many urban places were built when the only transport was horse and/or carriage. Very narrow streets making it difficult for traffic nowadays to negotiate.

However, streets sometimes are able to be widened to allow traffic through. But, here is the problem; the amount of traffic lights in all through fares is enormous. But, here is a problem that is quite often increased by councils' actions. Traffic lights; what do you do when you get to them on red? You stop, engine ticks over; red/amber, slight increase on accelerator, then green more pleasure and away you go.

Winchester has five sets of lights within approximately half a mile. If you could drive straight through there would be surely half the amount of toxic fumes. They are also using Covid-19 as an excuse to narrow the North Walls, which is causing traffic snarl up; when we get, if we ever do, back to normal the traffic congestion will be horrific. Even when normal there is considerable traffic back up on most entering and exiting the city. Reality is ring roads.

Geoff N Barrett,

Nicholson Place,

Alresford