CLLR Peter Dew explains very clearly (“Closing Gillygate will not solve traffic woe”, Letters, May 24) how little Conservatives are doing to tackle the poor air quality that has been harming the health and killing people prematurely for years in York.

New traffic light controls. Yes, you read it correctly, new traffic light controls are going to sort it.

Those who follow local politics in York will know there isn’t any serious will on the part of Conservatives in the council’s coalition to tackle congestion and poor air quality.

Ian Gillies’ comments in relation to Gillygate show the default response is to stick to the status quo and do nothing.

Our executive member for transport even believes that because poor air quality isn’t cited as the cause of death on a death certificate, that it isn’t killing people prematurely.

And these are the people currently running City of York Council.

I am not saying the problem is an easy one to tackle, far from it. But taking the approach, as local Conservatives do, of thinking minor measures like traffic light controls are going to address these problems demonstrate a lack of leadership and how little drive there is to tackle the difficult challenges the city faces.

Cllr Danny Myers, Labour, Clifton ward, Labour environment spokesperson