Monitoring traffic and pollution around Westfield - Gazette published Merlene's letter (23 April) - read full text below:

11.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 26th Apr 2009

"In a recent Council publication, the Tories were trumpeting the fact that 80% of shoppers to Westfield have been using public transport. However, on the same page was a notice that the mega mall have introduced from April two hours of free parking for shoppers, thus enticing shoppers to travel in by car.

I would therefore be interested to know how this will impact on the decision of shoppers, whether they will choose to drive instead, thus adding to the congestion around Shepherds Bush and its vicinity.

It must be pointed out that there is another consequence of increased traffic and that is increased air pollution around Shepherds Bush. There is currently a lack of up-to-date public information on the results of various air monitoring stations that are supposed to be located in various parts of the borough including Shepherd Bush.

The 2 main ones in the Hammersmith Broadway and Stamford Brook have been closed since January this year but old data show that the borough has long breached World Health Organisation standards for clean air. In fact it has been estimated that 32.2% of Hammersmith and Fulham's population (or 55,372 people) would be in an area over recommended levels of NO2!

I have written to the Council to urge them to monitor both the traffic conditions as well as the air quality around Westfield."

For more information see: http://www.libdemvoice.org/the-air-we-breathe-12918.html

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/roadusers/lez/LEZ-Health-Impact-Assessment-November-2006.pdf