Sir, You state that the Government has failed to reduce congestion (“Drivers in worse jam as traffic plan fails” , May 9), while showing cycle use declining in most parts of the country (report, May 9). Yet London has shown that it is possible to reverse these trends. With traffic levels in Central London falling, cycle use has increased by 83 per cent since 2000, contributing to reduced traffic and pollution.

The Government must do much more to sell the benefits of reversing the steady growth of car traffic. Initiatives to promote sustainable travel in Darlington, Peterborough and Worcester through social marketing have shown remarkable reductions, eliminating around one in ten of the car trips targeted. These techniques now need to be expanded and copied throughout the rest of the country. Although 65 per cent of all trips are under 5 miles, only 2 per cent of them are currently made by bike.

Trying to solve congestion by building new roads is like trying to prevent obesity by buying bigger trousers — why not get cycling instead?

Roger Geffen

Campaigns & Policy Manager

CTC, the national cyclists’ organisation

Sir, While we agree it is disappointing we are not currently on track to meet our congestion target, we are seeing some positive results.

Since June 2007 there has been an improvement in journey time reliability on motorways and major A-roads, as well as a decrease in congestion on roads in our towns and cities over the last three years.

The Government is investing heavily in tackling congestion and making major improvements to roads.

As part of this we are already implementing innovative new measures, like opening up the hard shoulder to traffic during peak periods and using new technology to give advance warning of motorway jams.

Tom Harris

Roads Minister

Sir, The most unnecessary jams are at junctions (“Drivers in worse jam as traffic plan fails, May 9). At those critical points the dash for road safety has led to channelisation schemes that have greatly reduced capacity. Those “improvements” are supported by endless speed humps and the camera campaign. Despite that, the previous steady decline in road deaths has collapsed. That is because these policies have sabotaged the development of mature driver behaviour — the slogan “Treat people like idiots and they will behave like idiots” springs to mind.

Paul F. Withrington

Director, Transport Watch

Sir, More important than the inconvenience caused to drivers by traffic delays is the detrimental impact that congestion is having on the environment; free-flowing traffic results in much lower emissions, and reduced fuel consumption, than in the conditions where vehicles regularly stop and start. At speeds lower than 20mph there is an exponential rise in all emissions, and air quality for people in urban areas is further compromised by the current tax regime-driven vogue for diesel-engined vehicles. The fact that the very term “national road pricing” appears to give the Government the jitters does not alter the fact that there is now a strong practical, economic and environmental case for such a scheme.

Andrew Davis

Director, The Environmental Transport Association

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