“Traffic congestion is a reflection of the health of a city. A charge will kill it.”

Dear Sir, ABOUT a hundred years ago the British Prime Minister, Arthur Balfour, opined, “The motorcar will help solve the congestion of traffic.” The gridlock of horse carts was killing downtown London. So much for the wisdom of elected officials. Traffic congestion occurs when human activity, mostly economic, is so vibrant that activity backs up upon other activity. It is a good thing. This does not mean that every effort should not be made to facilitate the flow of people and goods. But congestion is a sign of a community's health. A congestion charge can only kill activity, not facilitate it. A good doctor should have as his first goal to not kill the patient. Analogously a sound traffic plan aims at efficient moving of goods and persons not the strangulation of commerce. A congestion free town center occurs only where there is no prosperity. That is not a good thing. Increasing the cost of doing business in Palma will help no one. WITH reference to the comments of Mr. Stringfellow regarding the congestion charge (Daily Bulletin, 30th August): I am not surprised he can't be bothered to register his vehicle. Perhaps if he had a Spanish registered vehicle (albeit his 4 x 4) as the law requires to anyone living here, it might not be so much of a hassle. So many foreigners who have homes here and live here most of the time, continue to drive their foreign registered cars, the main culprits being the British and Germans. They presumably pay their road tax in their own country, and not to the Spanish government. These are the same people who complain about the condition and congestion on the Spanish roads.