I enjoyed reading Austin Gatt’s article The air we breathe (TMID 16 May) and applaud the government’s initiatives to improve the environment and reduce pollution. Park and ride is excellent and the pedestrianisation of Valletta is a great move in the right direction. However, when it comes to vehicle pollution, the main offenders seem to carry on unchecked and unpunished. What is more, many of these offenders are in the public service, presumably the responsibility of the government or its agencies.

I refer of course to buses and not just the very old so-called historic buses. Add to that mini buses which transport schoolchildren and tourists. Then there are the garbage collection trucks. Finally, we are not only suffering from pollution and dust from the excessive amount of building sites but the large vehicles which transport cement and take away endless amounts of building debris, nearly all seem to be chucking out noxious fumes as they travel back and forth.

Can I offer the minister a simple solution to this? If you place wardens at the top of the Coast Road leading from Splash and Fun up to Madliena Cottage turn-off, you can spot the fumes belching from these vehicles and many others as they accelerate to get up the hill. Simply stop the offenders and fine them or preferably ban them from using the offending vehicles until they are fit to be driven.

That will take courage but it will improve the air we breathe very quickly.

Simon Walker

Gharghur