Letter: We Are Experiencing a Steep Increase in Pollution Levels

Published on: 1 Apr, 2019
Updated on: 1 Apr, 2019

From Wendy Johnson

In response to: Increased Traffic from New Developments Will Increase Compton’s Problems

Action on pollution levels is more urgent than just improving roads to accommodate – too late – anticipated rises in population in Surrey. I have lived for 32 years four miles from the A3 junction with the M25 and have only recently been aware of the poor air quality here.

We are experiencing a sudden and steep increase in pollution levels, probably owing to traffic diverting from the M25. Once the rat-run has been discovered by the motorists, I suspect they are using the B2039 habitually. This is particularly true of lorry drivers using the road at night. It is (just) wide enough for most lorries and is fast enough – even though the speed limit is mainly 30 – for the individual motorist to benefit from time-saving by adding a few miles to a regular journey.

Add all this up and there are many more vehicles going past my house, day in day out. All my neighbours have increased the size of their houses by filling-in, so on a windless day the pollution just hangs in the roadway.

On Tuesday last week, I needed to go to our butcher and I put on walking boots so as to avoid turning an ankle on what SCC provides as a pavement on the west side of the road opposite the butchers. I walk this path as it is more dangerous to walk along the inadequate (narrow) pavements on the east side of the road.

By the time I reached the shop, my eyes were streaming from petrol fumes and I was in a state of shock because I had narrowly avoided being hit by two cars despite my crossing with care. The butcher and his colleagues are well aware of the increase in traffic and pollution and blame it onto the increase in the number of drivers choosing the B2039 as a short cut.

The butchers have been witness to several minor collisions and a few accidents involving pedestrians and they keep their historic building’s doors closed and the air conditioning on to avoid the pollution.

I am asthmatic and I have had exceptional recourse recently to use Ventolin as well as my regular preventer, and suspect this may apply to other Dragon readers.

It would be interesting to learn how many people in Surrey are similarly affected so that we may take up the matter with the powers that be. If London can have a low-emission zone then so should the residents of Surrey. In the meantime, I shall have to join the rest of the world in driving to the butchers ten minutes’ walk away.