SEVERAL recent letters argued that only those who drive cars are qualified to lead on transport policy. I’ve no idea which members of the council drive, but this is an astonishing claim.

Apart from those of us incarcerated or entirely bed-ridden, we all use the roads, no matter how we get about. On most days, I ride a bike in York and like many other cyclists, I also own a car and try to make sensible decisions about which is the best mode of transport for each journey.

For reasons (environmental, economic and public health) that really shouldn’t still need reciting, all local, regional and national government has to reduce in the number of journeys made by private car.

To deride those trying to implement policies based on this truth as “anti-car” is absurd. There are carrots and sticks that can be used to bring about reductions in private car use.

Personally, I’m all for carrots. However, apart from some small grants from national government, the city council has minimal funds available to make it easier to avoid using cars.

Chris Walker-Lyne, Millfield Road, York.