Sir – In a conference speech last week, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: “What people want is petrol for their cars”.

My word. How is that sort of talk going to go down among his fellow party members running Richmond Council, known to be passionately antimotoring.

Is it a sign cars are back in favour? Might Mr Clegg’s words even persuade York House to rid us of the contentious, increased CPZ charges they imposed on the borough a few years ago in the name of beating carbon emissions?

Since those extra charges were levied, central Government has introduced its own anti-pollution initiative by raising duty on older cars.

The result, in effect, is that to pay for a laudable clean air exercise, many of us here in the borough are being doubly taxed. Hardly fair.

Hateful, and hardest on poorer families and the elderly with insufficient funds to buy a newer model, at least the Government’s levy is universal.

Richmond’s is not, and therefore, better placed to be dropped.

Mr Clegg claims the Lib Dems will be known as the taxcutting party. What more perfect excuse could Richmond wish for to justify swift action?

Let us have CPZs, but cut the higher charges.

GUY THOMAS
Barnes