READER LETTER: 'Clean air proposals will cause exodus of business from city'

The Council’s preferred option to reduce air pollution in Southampton is to charge certain vehicles, including HGV’s, to enter the city. Have they considered the impact of this proposal? Any charge on HGVs is basically a stealth tax on our port – our city’s biggest employer. If hauliers face increased costs to bring goods to Southampton this will be passed onto their clients, and businesses will move from Southampton’s port to other ports such as London Gateway. This will mean an exodus of business from our city. If the port suffers, our city suffers, and our people suffers. This is simply not acceptable. Instead of declaring war on the port the Council should consider other proposals.