I THOUGHT it was appropriate to write regarding The Avenue cycle lanes.

I suspect you already know the strong feelings people are expressing about this serious issue.

Councillor Leggett is obviously championing this ill conceived policy and hiding behind Covid 19 emergency powers.

In essence cutting the principal road (The Avenue) in and out of the city from four lanes to two is a recipe for disaster.

The Green Party's wish to cut traffic pollution is now backfiring because whereas previously there was free flowing traffic there are now long tailbacks of almost stationary traffic no doubt contributing more fumes.

His wish to promote cycling is pandering to the minority whereas the traffic infrastructure should be for the majority.

Mums with young children cannot cycle, nor can the elderly, the disabled or people shopping.

If you live a long way away but need to travel to work in the city you also won't be able to cycle.

After lockdown is over imagine Saints at home, several cruise liners in port and Christmas shopping, there will be chaos and gridlock on the roads all around the city.

Businesses in the city desperately need customers to buy their goods and services, this policy is clearly anti-business and could destroy hundreds of jobs and severely affect the economic prosperity of the city.

If I was a business owner I would be hopping mad and be feeling that the council was not helping to re build lost revenue following on from the pandemic.

Yesterday afternoon traffic was queueing well back up the M3 to the Chilworth roundabout so all of a sudden it's become a problem for southern Hampshire, not just Southampton.

To the best of my knowledge there was no consultation or survey carried out, just an ill conceived policy with no thought about the ramifications.

Just because they thought it was a good idea doesn't make it valid or sustainable.

I don't live in the city but my job (estate agency) involves me travelling around the northern parts of the city every day so I continually see and experience the problems.

Numerous clients fear for their property value and their saleabilty, this is becoming serious.

Councillor Leggett and his colleagues who support this policy have wasted huge sums of public money and quite frankly are not fit for office.

The signs say the lanes are temporary (I suspect not) and other signs say "connecting" Southampton, they obviously missed out the word "dis"!

When you quote councillor Leggett in the future please print the counter argument to his policy.

It is totally flawed and all I can hope for is that the local elections in 2021 will see a return to common sense.

Simon Edser

Totton