ON the debate about car usage.

Posted by Can’t Take Much More: Fine if you live on a regular bus route. I live in a village with one or two buses a day, these would not suit a lot of people for work. If you’re concerned about the amount of cars and future traffic, ask why the council is allowing probably 100s of new homes in the Stroud area, 2,000 or more cars!

Posted by brian.marks: There is a major problem in that we do not have the infrastructure to support using a car less even if one was so inclined (and it is a choice after all). Unless absolutely necessary I already avoid the arterial routes around Stroud at peak times and more houses will add to this. However, housing policy is a completely different Pandora’s Box to open.

Yes the roads are overcrowded, and not very well maintained locally which adds to congestion.

However, cars are not the issue and for the vast majority of our society lives without them would not be viable as we rely on them for commuting to work, shopping, ferrying children to sports clubs, keeping in touch with geographically isolated/vulnerable relatives and friends.....and heaven forbid, just for the enjoyment of driving.

The internal combustion engine has done far more good than harm for society over the last 100 years. You name it - agriculture, logistics, transport, flights, defence, human mobility for employment and social inclusion to name but a few. None would be possible without our friend the internal combustion engine. Thank goodness Henry Ford introduced us to the world of the motor car.

Posted by Pisces123: If live in Thrupp you will be aware of the excessive traffic in Thrupp Lane during the morning and afternoon school run. Maybe schools should restrict intake to a sensible catchment area, thereby allowing children to be walked to school, giving them much needed fresh air, well maybe not fresh, and exercise.

Posted by brian.marks: A really good point. Catchment areas are a minefield, we live less than half a mile from our local school but the intake is so small we weren’t allocated it and as such we opted for an ‘out of Stroud’ village school with lots of outdoor space and (all things being equal) lots of fresh clean air. The downside of this is that using car is a necessity but that one downside is by far outweighed by the benefits that the school and its environment offer. Sadly our infrastructure does not always lend itself to being able to make idealistic choices such as avoiding car usage.