HAVING read recent correspondence regarding traffic gridlock in Southampton, I now see that Lidl is to build a large distribution centre off the M271 (Daily Echo, December 30).

While not wishing to discourage companies from moving into the area and the employment they create, I begin to seriously wonder whether our planners have given any serious thought about how they will deal with the extra traffic that will be created.

I understand that Lidl will be paying towards the cost of road improvements in the immediate area but this development will no doubt place extra stress on the M271.

Department of Transport figures show a large increase in heavy goods vehicles using the M271 and that the M3 and M27 feeding the M271 will be operating in excess of design capacity within the next 12 years.

The present construction of berths 101/102 in the Western Docks will shortly be adding to the HGVs using the M271 to access Dock Gate 20, which places added pressure on the Redbridge roundabout and Millbrook Road which currently suffers congestion at busy times.

Over recent years we have seen major changes in the city centre with the building of WestQuay and IKEA, and now look forward to future development of West Quay Stage 3 and the Mayflower Park area which will add extra pressure on an already heavily congested area.

The future of the cruise trade and commercial success of the city will be dependent on easy access and unless things improve we will lose both to Internet traders and out of town shopping centres with free parking and easy access.

A recent traffic congestion survey carried out by Tom Tom listed Southampton as the 15th most congested city in the UK with an 18 per cent increase in congestion compared with the previous year.

It would be interesting to see any plans that the council has to mitigate the congestion that these future developments will cause.

If the ridiculous and dangerous road markings outside the Costco entrance and the creation of an even more difficult turn for HGVs from Millbrook Road into Regents Park Road, paid for by Costco prior to that development, are examples of the best our traffic management team can come up with, I for one have little confidence that things will improve.

Chris Hinds, of Regents Park, Southampton