I am writing in response to R P Blows (‘Car-cultists demand temples to parking’, Opinion, June 18) and K Brown (‘Cycle highway? Doomed!’, Opinion, June 18).

Mr Blows anti-car tirade is unwarranted because the extensive ownership of a car is the people’s choice, freely entered into and determined by choice of travel and the pleasure it gives. If Mr Blows prefers to travel by public transport or bike no one will object.

When the car was invented road space should have increased with ownership. This has not happened and traffic congestion and poor air quality is the result made worse by the imposition of bus lanes and increasing numbers of cycle lanes. Parking areas are necessary to keep shopping areas alive.

Mr Brown is upset by the word “doomed”, perhaps “not cost effective” would have been a better choice, but I am told that the Mini-Holland schemes are intended to get people out of their cars and on to a bike. If they stay in their cars the schemes are a failure.

Closing Tottenham Court Road to cars in favour of cyclists is extreme if public transport and commercial vehicles continue to use it. I have no desire to put a road through Covent Garden and I am not opposed to cycle lanes/super highways if there is sufficient road space for them. I hope the very large redevelopment of Kings Cross will have sufficient parking and access for its residents.

However, in these times of austerity and Government cuts, £110million of council tax would be better spent on providing social housing than cycle lanes whose cost effectiveness depends on an upsurge in cycling.

G A Musey

Mitchell Road, Palmers Green