THE CYCLING campaigners will continue to try to talk up the number of cycles on city roads, but the fact is that in a recent study by Southampton University into the relationships between vehicles and cyclists published on 29 June 2020 confirmed that cyclists were just 1.4% of traffic movements.

So for each cycle there are 70 motor vehicles.

Any small percentage increase in cyclists will be negated as more vehicles come on to the road as the economy opens up and cycling will also be discouraged as more adverse weather intervenes.

It is difficult to see how the loss of 50% of road surfaces to general vehicle traffic (particularly in Bassett Avenue) causing serious congestion and pollution can be justified.

Perhaps more important is that traffic congestion will be driving away potential consumers for the city's goods and services at the very time when many businesses are at risk.

It is clear that the city council's Green Transport Recovery Plan is not taking account of the needs of businesses.

Let us hope that the "call in" of the plan will take steps to correct this flawed thinking.

It is now a matter of urgency that the cycle lane, particularly on Bassett Avenue, is removed and the cycle lane on Hill Lane is also abandoned to reinstate parking for those wishing to use the Common for recreational purposes.

If the city council is at all serious about supporting businesses and economic activity perhaps it is also time to open up the bus lanes on Inner Avenue and on the Eastern approach to the city to general traffic and have free car parking in the city centre until the new year.

Let's not just watch potential customers driving away.

Patrick McClure

Southampton