SOUTHAMPTON, as history tells, is and all ways will be in a unique position because of its land situation.

It is roughly a triangular shape pivoted at the bottom covering the docks the left side reaches out to Millbrook Testwood etc the right side covers Woolston and Bitterne.

At the top of this pivoted triangle, we have the Chilworth roundabout, to its left covers Lordshill Shirley and Millbrook etc, to the right, we have Bassett, Swaythling and Bitterne.

Because Southampton is situated between two rivers the Itchen and the Test, we have always had three main arterial routes from the North East and West, which has served the city well for centuries, as time passed by, successive councils in their so called wisdom decided to enhance the city with well-meaning but ill-thought-out projects regardless and oblivious to what affects their decisions would have on our business and entertainment environment.

When Westquay was first built and the precinct came into operation, this was bound to affect and over time we have witnessed the demise of St Mary's road and the many shops which were quite popular including the market.

Taking a stroll round to East Street we are witnessing another once busy trading area that had character but as with modern thinking that too has all but been decimated.

The point I am making is, this council of many political colours and cultures decided to expand the Westquay shopping area behind, into a huge attraction with a modern cinema and well known upmarket eating establishments.

In this triangular area, we are now seeing the demise of many small and medium-sized businesses shops, catering, etc, all because the Southampton council in its so-called wisdom did not foresee, what effect this would have on the vast amounts of traffic both of domestic and commercial this Westquay project would attract.

Now because of their spurious claims of an over-polluted city they now see fit to strangle the three main road arteries to the city by installing under-used cycle lanes that have now resulted in congestion and pollution that has increased above the levels of pre-cycle lanes.

Cycling is no more than a leisure and that is all it is.

As for the spurious claims of car emissions affecting the environment, there are more pollutants affecting children in homes that are far more dangerous?

I feel sorry for all the people that have to live near these routes.

With many roads and pavements in need of repair coupled with thousands of potholes.

We need a new political party sworn in at the coming by-elections next March to revive our once proud city.

As one knowledgeable Sotonian pointed out we have lost a vast amount of entertainments including the Royal Pier, Southampton Annual Show, Ice rink, Tall Ships, Hot Air Balloons, and now by stupidity, we will lose the Boat Show probably to Portsmouth.

Is there no end to this folly that has blighted our city by these councillors.

If only I was young enough to start a new political party for next year's city elections, I would

call it the Phoenix Party, to rise above the ashes of our once-great city, to fight for all the people, not just a few.

David J Hacking

Southampton