CLLR Whittaker’s response to the planned extra places at Kinson Primary is typical of the attitude that fails to address the real problems on our roads.

He may see the expansion as being the straw that broke the camel’s back but the fact is the camel is carrying arterial traffic down roads that should not be used this way.

Durdells Avenue could be closed somewhere in the middle with filtered permeability for buses and bikes. This would immediately reduce the amount of motor traffic using it and also bring about improvements in both real and subjective safety for parents, children, cyclists and walkers.

We know that too much motor traffic causes pollution, congestion, danger to life and limb and contributes to huge hardship and expense through sedentary diseases - we now have to acknowledge that it stands in the way of providing adequate school provision.

Road engineering methods used by the Dutch mean that most primary school children get themselves to school unaided by bicycle!

Why does our council refuse to set these standards as a goal? Why do they continue to condemn our children to inactivity, obesity and dangerous roads?

MIKE CHALKLEY, Cowper Road, Bournemouth