I WOULD like to refer to the many worldwide and international conferences on climate change, global warming and the environment and the level of toxic air we are living with here in Hereford.

I would firstly like to ask our council where this issue stands on their agenda. It is really a serious question that our councillors, since the middle of the 60s, have never given any consideration to.

Yes, it is more than 60 years since we had this so-called ring road running through our city centre.

When I see people sitting at Costa on the corner of Newmarket Street and Widemarsh Street, the condition of the air they endure is beyond belief.

It is clear to anyone who follows this council’s actions that there is not going to be any improvement in the near future with the planned extra traffic due to converge on to Edgar Street, and proceed to the railway station and Aylestone Hill.

This just about sums up planning policies of our local authority and others over the past 60 years.

The evidence can also be found on our local bus services which are unable to keep up with timetables – it can take 20 minutes to travel from Barrs Court Road to Tesco, and the same applies to other city services.

My friends in the Heads of the Valleys area will not venture to Hereford because of the congestion we suffer here.

We are still in urgent need of a solution to this problem after 60 years.

There should be a direct approach to the transport minister to address this matter and give the people of Hereford something to improve their lifestyle.

With a newly elected council we should be entitled to some noticeable change of outlook and policies.

CRAWFORD POWNEY Geldof Grove, Hereford