TRAFFIC POLLUTION

Figures compiled by Derby City Council from 70 monitoring sites across the city, showed that traffic pollution in Derby increased by more than 11% in 2003. The council claims the results for nitrogen dioxide in 2003 reflect that year's hot and dry weather conditions.

The worst pollution area for nitrogen dioxide, which is caused mainly by car exhaust fumes, was at the junction of Ford Street and Friar Gate where levels exceeded 63 microgrammes per cubic metre. The Government-set maximum target level is 40 microgrammes per cubic metre, which local authorities must aim to achieve by December 2005.

Other areas with high nitrogen dioxide levels were Normanton Road (61.8), the Morledge (60.8) and Mount Street (60.2). The Five Lamps junction saw a 13% increase between 2002 and 2003, from 38.5 to 43.5 microgrammes. The increase follows the controversial installation of new traffic lights at the junction.

Councillor Lucy Care, Derby City Council's cabinet member for planning, transportation and environment, said, "This is the trend we have seen across the country for 2003 because of the prolonged hot and dry weather conditions. It isn't strong evidence of increased traffic congestion. We have to take the figures with a pinch of salt."

Julian de Mowbray, Derby City Council's head of pollution control, said that although the council had published an action plan a year ago to tackle the city's most polluted roads and junctions, it was unlikely to hit target levels in all areas without the help of new Government environmental laws, such as the promotion of cleaner vehicle technologies.

Peter Chambers, of Markeaton Street, Derby, who has complained previously about the increased congestion caused by new traffic lights at Five Lamps, said, "I would have thought the fact that there was an increase of 13% was a good reason for taking the lights away."

How offensive of Councillor Care to think my health is only "worth a pinch of salt". I notice that she does not dispute the figures for the increased pollution, but merely seeks to blame hot weather. Global warming is happening, so we can surely expect a lot more of this inconvenient pollution. Derby City Council is going to need an awful lot of salt to be delivered to Roman House to cover its future "pinches of salt" requirements.

Perhaps if the council does not believe the pollution figures, then it could open its eyes instead and come to Five Lamps and see the traffic jams caused by the traffic lights? Because until the lights are turned off, except when pedestrians want to cross, no amount of demolition is going to cure the problem.

In the past, Cllr Care has said to me "the reality of road building is more congestion". She should use her position to put forward real pro-cycling and pedestrian policies here at Five Lamps. Then we will see the pollution levels coming down "whatever the weather". Richard Butler

I note that the places where these have significantly increased are at the junction of Ford Street, St Alkmund's Way and Goodwin Street (by the new college) and at Five Lamps. Does Councillor Care, her unconvincing excuses aside, not realise that this is precisely where the awful Connecting Derby scheme has caused traffic lights to be installed?

Surely she is aware from her days as an environmental campaigner that pollution is always highest where cars stop and start most frequently? Every night on my way back from Loughborough I now get stopped in a massive queue of cars by Radio Derby at 5pm (and often further back). Before last year, this rarely happened. Disconnecting Derby more like.

These statistics only go to reinforce what has been obvious to most of us for some time: that "Connecting Derby" is seriously flawed in almost every aspect. It is a shame that her administration didn't scrap it and start again when they took office in 2003. That would have earned them enormous respect and saved a couple of historic environments as well. These statistics bear only one message. Call a halt without delay and rethink the remaining stages of this benighted scheme. Carole Craven