The Planning Authority is reported to have proposed that childcare facilities should be located away from busy roads because of concerns over pollution (October 26). Green local councillors also recently appealed for “clean air and sustainable mobility” in a declaration signed at a conference in Rome.

It is being increasingly recognised that children growing in polluted urban environments are exquisitely susceptible to harm from urban traffic pollutants. Besides measures aimed at reducing urban traffic,  modern transport and urban planning policies recommend  that playgrounds should be situated as far away from busy roadways as possible.

But ideals and promises are one thing and action another. This is perfectly exemplified by the Sliema and Mosta local council proposals for centrally-situated underground urban  car parks which, of course, will only add to existing traffic and local pollution.

The Sliema council’s proposal for a large multi-level car park underneath the Mortimer children’s playground is particularly pernicious. Beside intensifying car use in already-polluted Sliema, children using the playground will be exposed to the added threat of exhaust emissions vented from the underlying massive car park.

The notice announcing this monstrous development has since been removed. But, parents be warned, work on the multi-level car park over which your  children will soon be  playing is scheduled to start any time soon, probably by stealth.

The very thought of building  a car park over a playground for the revenue it will generate and ignoring the likelihood that the cost will be borne by future  generations of  children -  who will be exposed to traffic fumes while playing  over the car park - is repugnant. Putting the need of car-parking space above the interests of child health is just not on.