I would like environmental campaigners to explain their objections to the dualling of part of York’s outer ring road (York activists pledge to fight dualling ‘on all fronts’, January 15).

They appear to think this dualling will create more traffic in and around York than is now the case. But I do not think that drivers now go driving just to pass the time as they did, perhaps, 60 years ago.

I think people now drive for unavoidable reasons to do with work, shopping or social purposes. The amount of traffic in and around York will stay the same with or without the dualling. And traffic flowing freely on the ring road will cause less pollution than traffic at a standstill within York.

I do not seek to criticise environmentalists. But they should explain their thinking.

David Martin, Acomb