Sir – Today Botley residents have woken up to find a new cause for grave concern regarding the proposed commercial development of the area by Doric.

A report just published in the British Medical Journal shows that long-term exposure to high levels of pollution and poor air quality resulting from traffic can cause serious heart disease.

Crucial levels have been found to be lower than those recommended by current EU legislation. Parts of Botley beside the A34 are already subject to an air quality action plan, with levels of pollutants higher than recommended levels and not likely to fall to this level for a number of years.

This includes Westminster Way, the narrow residential road parallel to the A34, which is the main access route from the A34 to the shopping centre and Botley for traffic coming from the south.

The proposed new development would mean vastly increased numbers of construction vehicles, delivery lorries and visitors to the centre using this road, in addition to extra traffic on the A34 itself.

Westminster Way is already a busy road with hazards for cyclists and drivers. Now we know that there would be health dangers as well, both for residents and for the pedestrians who use the road regularly to go to and from schools, shops, bus stops and the community facilities. Homes under threat of demolition, health at risk from air pollution — suddenly Botley is looking a dangerous place to live.

D. A. Parkinson, Oxford