SUGGESTIONS that Oxfordshire residents should approve the creation of a new dual carriageway air pollution corridor from Witney to Oxford should be rejected (Oxford Mail, September 25).

Evidence collected over decades shows that building more road space increases the number of car journeys and the distances drivers are willing to drive. In Oxfordshire, we are already witnessing massive increases in traffic on some key roads of 40 per cent in a year, adding to air pollution and traffic congestion. Sustainable and realistic solutions must avoid making this worse.

The Witney-Oxford-Cowley-Wheatley rail line could become a light rail service carrying passengers in both directions within Oxford to reduce road traffic. Witney Oxford Transport is campaigning for this type of option.

Such a rail project could be built in stages using the existing line as far as possible. It would help to prevent further bus-related and other traffic congestion since pressure for more bus services continues to grow with Oxford City’s population and could serve for example newly-expanded employment on the Wheatley campus recently vacated by Oxford Brookes University.

If this line is fully electrified, then there would be a considerable advantage in terms of reducing air pollution. Simply adding to road infrastructure and just accepting more traffic as inevitable would be a policy failure.

Quality of life, air quality, keeping noise levels down and enhancing the public transport in an arc across Oxfordshire depend upon making full use of the Witney-Wheatley rail line.

Our county council should work on this as a long-term option, and secure funding for its implementation.

DR HAZEL DAWE
Treasurer
Oxfordshire Green Party