YOU rightly headline the news of the M&S departure from our town (Gazette, April 6, “Long-running High Street M&S to close”).

The decision almost coincided with the decision to close the High Street to cars.

The continuous campaign against the car, by our councils, started with the ruination of the High St after the destruction of the Queen St multi storey car park.

Over promotion of cycle lanes and Covid restrictions has further eroded ease of access for the car, while the resulting jams have done nothing to help pollution.

The result of this long promoted policy is obvious to all.

The fall in shopper’s footfall in the town is of the order of 50per cent in the last 20 years, despite population growth of roughly 35per cent in the same time.

M&S will not be the last to leave.

Alan Edwards

Birch Street, Nayland