REBECCA Pow in her column in last week’s County Gazette expressed her pleasure at funds in the Autumn Statement for road improvements which may improve journey times by a few minutes.

However, I did not see anything in the Chancellor’s statement about funding any of the many vital measures needed to combat global warming; this despite the Paris agreement coming into force in the last few weeks and the news that once again this has been the hottest year in history.

The last thing we need is more roads, more use of fossil fuels, fracking, more air pollution. We need support for renewable energy, public transport and cycling, energy saving measures and less “stuff”.

A carbon tax would be one pointer to the government’s intent and would raise much needed income.

I hope that as our MP is vice chair of the All Parliamentary Group on Climate Change, she can be instrumental in pressing for the effect of climate change and the need to reduce substantially the use of fossil fuels to be an essential part of the audit for all infrastructure proposals.

JOHN AINSWORTH
Kingdom Lane
Norton Fitzwarren