THE recent report by Cornwall Council concerning the compulsory purchase of homes to get residents out of highly polluted areas is a sign of quiet desperation.

As our air quality declines it is estimated that exhaust fumes are linked to more than 40,000 deaths a year.

Inflaming the lungs and increasing the risk of cancer and respiratory disease must be a matter of concern, especially with young children.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has made a number of recommendations for action. Among them are ways to smooth the flow of traffic.

More importantly new homes, schools and hospitals should be built away from busy roads, with more planting of hedgerows and trees wherever possible.

However it is essential that the central government tackles the source of pollution and, like Birmingham City Council and the mayor of London, is seriously dealing with the toxicity of diesel cars.

In other words some positive action is taken where there is an ever increasing degree of heavy traffic, particularly adjacent to schools and residential areas.

Realising the difficulties that must be encountered with very high levels of traffic on and off Atherleigh Way and surrounding areas as an example, the question is what monitoring is being done to safeguard and regulate the growth of a very serious problem?

Name and address supplied