‘The majority of shops had never heard of LN, liveable neighbourhoods, or the plans to fill the Cally with traffic jams and pollution’

• R WALFORD (A liveable neighbourhood is good for businesses, May 10) refers to three studies of traffic effects on business (only one in the UK by the way.)

And says that reducing traffic is good for businesses. What about the people who cannot go shopping without using the car, the elderly, disabled, and anyone who cannot carry heavy shopping bags because of temporary injuries or are taking loads of rubbish to the tip? I suppose they should all go on their bicycles or push stuff in a wheelbarrow.

A couple of weeks ago I did my own survey of 105 shops and businesses on Caledonian Road, which the council are proposing to make into a “boundary road.”

First, the majority of them had never heard of LN, liveable neighbourhoods, or the plans to fill the Cally with traffic jams and pollution. So much for council consultations.

Secondly, 96 per cent were against the council’s plans.

Thirdly, many people actually live on the Cally. It may be lovely for the people who live on other roads to have green and pleasant environments but what about the residents suffering more pollution and traffic jams on the Cally to provide that?

And school children who walk down the Cally to school or walk from school to go swimming in the Cally baths?

What about the pensioners and sick people who visit the Cally pharmacies and two GP surgeries situated near the Cally?

We are not all young and fit. The Cally pavements are in a terrible state. I have fallen nine times in the last year.

There are many riders of bicycles and scooters who ride on the pavements – which is illegal – and go so fast that pedestrians are in danger of being injured.

The last I spoke to to ask “Why are you not riding on the road?” scowled, swore, and spat at me!

I also met two shopkeepers who had found deep holes in the pavements outside their shops. They had asked the council to mend them but all the council did was put a plastic cover over them.

Another shopkeeper had tried to mend a hole himself because he had seen one customer really hurt themselves falling there and the council took a year to reply to him.

If the council want to improve our lives they could mend pavements, stop people riding on them, and stop people cycling through red lights.

A GLAISTER, N1