SIR: Winchester City Council approved a new multi-storey park and ride site at Bar End. They state that the “Vaultex P&R is a priority action on the [...] Carbon Neutrality Action Plan”. But this statement is completely illogical, it demonstrates a deep misunderstanding of the approach required to address the climate emergency.

Park and Ride does not reduce carbon emissions, in fact it is well understood that it does the very opposite, it increases carbon emissions by embedding car use rather than public transport and active travel.

To make matters worse the embodied carbon from the construction of a building that can only ever be used as a car park will lead to further unacceptable and unnecessary increases in carbon emissions.

The council objected to the expansion of Southampton airport on the grounds of increased carbon emissions, it is therefore extremely hypocritical to approve a new car park that will also significantly increase carbon emissions.

Moreover, in the council’s Carbon Neutrality Action Plan they committed to assessing every major project for carbon emissions. This did not happen. No assessment whatsoever was completed.

The council has declared a climate emergency. Now was the time to act accordingly and they failed on several counts.

James Miller,

Wheatland Close,

Badger Farm,

Winchester