I write in response to your article Is congestion charging the answer to area’s traffic problems? (Daily Echo, June 18).

The only way we’re going to ease congestion is to have fewer single-occupant motor vehicle journeys (excepting businesses, the infirm, etc).

The only way to do this is to make other transport methods (bus, bike, train, walk – even shared commutes) more desirable than driving your car alone.

Whether this is done by making those methods easier and quicker or by making car use harder and slower, it is the relative ease of use between the two modes that will persuade people.

We all want to get there fast and with as little hassle as possible.

The road network has reached a capacity that will no longer be eased by building more roads (where does the traffic go at the end of a new road?) or by more traffic management (there’s no headroom in capacity to make that effective). It's not an easy thing to do, but we must now face the fact that the golden age of motoring is over.

The freedom it has given society is now strangling us.

We need radical change and this isn’t being driven from the top by government.

If anyone isn’t convinced, take a look at the Copenhagenize website – pictures of the rush hour are a joy to behold. Compare that to your everyday commuting experience.

We desperately need to follow the example being set by our Northern European chums.

Mike Chalkley, Cowper Road, Bournemouth

Once again we read headlines about controversial congestion charges – bleed the motorists would be a better description.

At our recent South East Dorset strategic planning and transport joint meeting of representatives from a number of local authorities, when having a presentation by the project manager, there was no support coming from any of the locally elected members for such a charge, and if it is included in the survey it does not take a genius to work out the comments that will be forthcoming.

Cllr Ron whittaker, Glenmeadows Drive, Kinson