The recent Echo article regarding the council possibly introducing a £900 parking saving for eco drivers may add to the council's 'green credentials' but will do little to improve the air quality in Southampton.

The council's past record in permitting developments in highly polluted areas would suggest that air quality is fairly low on the agenda when a land sale is the alternative, the large warehousing development alongside Gover Road being a typical example of the council's attitude to local residents concerns.

Past and present councils have encouraged more commercial and leisure business into the city centre and have happily pocketed the £4 million plus profits in parking charges and penalty notices.

While the introduction of electric vehicles and stricter emission regulation for road transport may improve matters we are still faced with the pollution caused by the docks.

It is not unusual to see a dozen or more cargo or container ships in port plus three or more cruise liners. The combined nitrogen dioxide and particulate pollution caused by shipping can only be estimated as the area has no pollution monitors available for public view.

Virtually every motive unit within the docks is driven by a diesel engine, whether it is a crane or tractor unit moving containers. The large vehicle carriers frequently load thousands of cars adding to the problem.

The idea of ship to shore power for cruise liners may help reduce pollution but we will still have large numbers of cargo ships contributing to the problem.

Hopefully the proposed clean-air zone will help to prevent pollution increasing but I feel that future industrial growth on both sides of the Solent and lack of any influence on the docks will offset any reduction made.

The council may be forced to introduce even more draconian rules in future to meet pollution targets and may even have to finally introduce park-and-ride car parks which despite advice they have ignored in the past.

CHRIS HINDS

Regents Park, Southampton