CUTTING the price of petrol would lead to more traffic, congestion, pollution and an increase in the contribution to climate change.

It is right that petrol taxes should remain substantial. Motorists must be prepared to pay towards the cost of dealing with the social and environmental problems they cause, such as road traffic accidents, poor health, pollution and climate change.

If motorists want to make a really worthwhile gesture, they should boycott the pumps every day and try to use alternatives to the car, such as trains, buses, walking and cycling.

Although the cost of petrol has gone up in the last six months, the total cost of motoring including buying a car, maintenance and insurance, is increasing more slowly than the cost of travelling by public transport.

Despite opposition, there are already signs that high petrol prices are working in terms of encouraging motorists to look at alternatives to the car.

Traffic growth is now below the rate of economic growth. Rail passenger use has increased by 17 per cent since May 1997.

Cycling is up by five per cent from 1998 to 1999.

Reducing the price of petrol could threaten these trends and push people back into their cars.

John Jacoby,

Ambrose Steet, York.

...THE Evening Press recently reported "petrol prices soar towards the £1 mark".

On the same day, Asda at Monks Cross brought down the price of unleaded petrol by four pence to 79.9p a litre; Sainsbury's are charging the same price.

Surely this suggests that the cost of fuel rose largely because the oil companies put up their prices and that as a result of fierce competition they are now being forced to bring them down again, to the benefit of the motorist?

As for the issue of tax, the last Conservative government introduced the fuel tax escalator for environmental reasons to encourage motorists to drive less.

The present government, rightly or wrongly, has abolished the escalator and so we have had lower increases in tax than would have otherwise been the case.

David Sylph,

East Mount Road, York.