I did not anticipate that my suggestion of a congestion charge for Weymouth (You Say, April 4) would meet with an enthusiastic response but hoped that it might stimulate a reasoned exchange concerning the inevitable transport problems within Weymouth.

Sadly your correspondent ‘Ancient Mariner’ (You Say, April 25) did not appear to offer much by way of reasoned exchange.

Nonetheless, I am concerned that the relief road will fail to produce significant benefit and in the medium term conditions are likely to be even worse than we have already experienced.

The reason for my original suggestion was, in part, the opportunity that currently presents in the form of the largely redundant site at Mercery Road, the former New Look development, which, I understand, will have a direct link from the Relief Road.

The New Look buildings house some 10 heavy vehicle cargo bays and the site could provide a significant area for parking and marshalling of private, commercial and public service vehicles.

Since my last letter I see that the borough council is to about to publish the core strategy document: ‘Our Community, Your Future’ which touches on a number of the points I raised, so perhaps they are not all so farcical.

Finally, and perhaps most crucially, we should all become familiar with the real meaning of sustainability.

In addition to climate change, which the vast majority of the scientific community now accepts, we are, on a global scale, rapidly approaching the point when oil reserves will struggle to meet demand.

At that point the costs will rocket and we will face increases of pounds, not pence, for a litre of fuel.

Together with the current financial crisis, these considerations make it imperative that as we seek to plan our community’s future the priority should be to ensure that it will be sustainable in every respect.

James Robertson, Preston Road, Preston, Weymouth.