• RAMSAY Short is absolutely correct about the stress caused by noise pollution, as every corner of London is constantly impacted by construction activities, it is every bit as damaging as other forms of pollution, particularly when these are allowed to spill out on to neighbouring streets, (We suffer noise dawn till dusk, August 17).

The Chester Road example highlighted is a case in point. It isn’t, though, the most damaging example by some distance.

Islington allowed the NHS to use Dartmouth Park Hill for construction activities with the result that hundreds of extra cars and vans, and worse, have been driven over Dartmouth Park for months in addition to the usual east-west flow and targeting Highgate West Hill as an alternative north-south route.

Years ago there was talk of a supremo being appointed to ensure the same bit of highway isn’t obstructed again and again.

It is not just the C11 bus service that has been obstructed. Particularly since Kentish Town tube has been closed, we have all had to live with Kentish Town and Highgate Road, not to mention Highgate West Hill, being repeatedly obstructed and cutting us off from the rest of London.

If you read on from the Letters pages, you will see the CNJ is stuffed full of public notices about further obstruction of our streets.

On the next page there is a large notice saying the council has given itself permission to obstruct Kentish Town and Highgate Road.

The justification – if it can be called that – is that it has given itself permission for a development which can’t be achieved within the site.

In any sensible planning environment, nothing of the sort should even be being considered while Kentish Town is closed for refurbishment.

It should have been obvious in any planned system Kentish Town wouldn’t be closed before London Transport Executive had dealt with the crushes in Camden.

If you are a betting person, you can lay money that the bus stop where the road is going to be obstructed will be closed along the longest route near the coming obstruction.

Another certainty is that satnavs will have to be adjusted to enable people to find another route north.

Another good bet is that no one will have talked to Islington about removing the Dartmouth Hill obstruction.

Politicians should know that, as we go to vote, we will remember how stressed we have been by the noise and other pollution they have caused.

I know I am what the lawyers call an eggshell case, but you have no idea how stressful it has been trying to get to that magical thing – a hospital appointment – on time sitting on the 241 or 88 bus as it navigates its way through the obstructions.

PATRICK LEFEVRE, NW5