I UNDERSTAND that the efforts to achieve dualling of the northern outer ring road are to be interlinked with some sort of master strategy to alleviate York's congestion problems.

If dualling is achieved, then will we not have wasted millions of pounds on the construction of the new Acomb/Foxwood roundabout on the northern ring road, which would have to be removed?

I believe a suggestion was made that congestion charging should be introduced to help pay for the ring road improvements.

Congestion happens twice a day, for around an hour-and-a-half each time. This seems mostly to be caused by the school run.

This is exacerbated by the local authority strategy of obstructing the traffic flow, signals which allow only two or three vehicles through at a time, barricading the public highway at the request of residents who wish to increase their property value, installing unnecessary traffic signals, and the completely useless and expensive road humps because no one can be bothered to enforce the speed limits.

In any case, a 24-hour 20mph limit outside a school is ludicrous, and should only operate during school activity.

As for congestion charging, this is yet another scam, like all so-called green taxes, which will simply go to propping up badly-run public services.

The solution to all our climate problems by politicians of all persuasions is always the same: "introduce charges".

They seem incapable of coming up with practical or sensible ideas which will help future generations. Politicians should stop treating climate change as a free cash machine and the electorate as fools and imbeciles.

C Dakin, Albemarle Road, York.