I feel I must put forward the environmentally responsible view.

While the high price of fuel might hurt our pockets I feel it can only be good for the environment and our communities if it cuts down our driving - wouldn't it be great if there was a significant decrease in traffic? Children could play safely in the streets and asthma and pollution worries would be reduced.

It certainly is true that the price of diesel and petrol have risen sharply in the last few years.

Environmentalists have been talking for years about peak oil when the oil begins to run out as demand continues to rise, which will cause prices to soar. This could just be the beginning.

When I was at school we were told that there was only 30 years worth of oil left.

We have had all this time to prepare for the end of oil, but have done very little and just carried on with business as usual. Industries that have not prepared for an oil-scarce future simply won't survive.

I would like to point out that road haulage causes lots of problems such as the increase in traffic, noise, vibration, road traffic accidents and pollution on the streets where we live as well as excess wear and tear on the roads.

It would be far better to send freight by train or even canal - in Driffield we could revitalise the Riverhead docks area as a low carbon environmentally friendly transport system of the future and create new jobs in the process if only we had the vision to do it.

If the price of diesel goes up further, then long-distance road haulage will have to pass on this cost to its customers and hopefully the alternatives such as rail and canal will become more appealing.

I believe that this is good news for the environment. It is high time we stopped burning oil and sorted out environmentally friendly alternatives.

Mike Jackson, of Nafferton, writes by email

Should we push for commercial use of Driffield Navigation? Air you views by writing to the editor dennis.sissons@yrnltd.co.uk

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