In response to John Carter of Bitterne’s letter asking the council to back “Reclaim Our Parks,” I would say as follows: If you want to reduce attacks, including on women and girls, don’t turn your nose up at cycle lanes.

During lockdown and even before, Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (which increased pedestrians and cyclists and reduced cars) were proven to reduce street crime, including sexual assaults, with no increases in the surrounding area.

Making it safe enough to swap cars for bikes, walking, or buses reduces crime because criminals don’t like an audience of people on foot or bike.

Car dash cams are all very well, but nothing beats an eyewitness who has a better view of what’s going on.

And a car driver doesn’t have the same incentive to report street crime as someone travelling without the protection of a car.

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Secondly, although I am Southampton born and bred, I have moved a modest 30 miles west.

I returned in March this year to object to a strip club licence for a venue backing onto the parks, pointing out that it is Southampton City Council policy, approved by the councillors you all elect, not to license strip clubs near parks.

I also highlighted that the club is very near many bus stops, and women don’t want people on their way to or from a strip club making a nuisance of themselves while using public transport.

As anyone familiar with Southampton knows, these parks feature both the Titanic memorial to workers who died in the disaster (not the wealthy passengers, who should have known better) and the Isaac Watts memorial—two of the city’s most historic and sacred sites.

Policy approved by the people’s elected representatives was swept aside, and the licence was granted.

Further up the road, another strip club sits just around the corner from a well-known girls' school, another situation which the policy supposedly blocks.

If anyone wants to object to the licensing of premises so close to parks and schools as strip clubs, look out for annual licensing applications in the Echo, outside the clubs, and on the Southampton City Council website under licensing.

You can also find details of the councillors on the licensing committee there, as well as your own councillors, if you wish to share your views on these decisions.

Susan Stockwell

Poole