I WATCHED the Lendal Bridge closure trial with interest and being a cyclist, occasional pedestrian, taxi customer and bus user, I benefited from this thoroughfare being safer, quicker to pass across and generally nicer without the cars and lorries clogging it up during the day.

As an asthmatic, and someone who cares about people and their health, I feel the subject of air pollution has not been considered enough yet. York has several areas where pollutant levels are so high that they exceed limits set with health in mind, and it is possible that the closure may have reduced the pollution to an acceptable level.

I look forward to a detailed analysis of the closure, which will include data of bus times and usage, traffic densities in other parts of the city, and air quality. It may be that these measurements will deem the closure to have succeeded in its aims, and that the bridge can then be closed for good.

John Cossham, Hull Road, York.