YOU describe expansion of the A59/A1237 junction as "desperately needed" (Comment, February 8). It is no such thing.

If we are to prevent a catastrophic collapse of the climate and if we are to cope with the imminent decline in world oil output we must start reducing our use of cars.

No amount of talk about our "need" for them can stop global warming or conjure up oil that does not exist.

I am delighted that one of the three roundabout schemes has been dropped but still amazed that spending a third of the transport budget on schemes that will encourage more traffic can be described as a "sustainable" policy.

As to your comment that "much inner-city congestion comes from traffic crossing town rather than risking ring road misery", this is a myth put about by the ring-road lobby; no reliable evidence exists and, in reality, few journeys that could use the A1237 come anywhere near the heart of the city.

Jonathan Tyler,

Passenger Transport Networks,

Stonegate,

York.

Updated: 10:32 Friday, February 10, 2006