THE Globe article on the council aim of doubling Wirral's tree cover was most interesting but misleading.

Cllr Grey says her 'absolute priority is tackling the climate emergency'.

Her actions will have negligible impact on the climate "emergency" This is gesture politics.

She also says she wants as much "breathing space" for wildlife as possible.

This is commendable, but misses the point that the real emergency on Wirral is the impact of air pollution on human health.

More wildlife habitat is welcome but the real issue, since the council perversely insists it will create an added 12,000 households over 15 years, is how we mitigate the health effect of an added 12,000 to 18,000 cars.

If the council follows its preferred local plan option of building in urban locations like Birkenhead the new residents will require more than a few dozen token trees to protect them.

Even if the 18,000 projected cars are dispersed to 'rural' sites across the Wirral the impact will be great without mitigation strategies since most employment is in the east.

Air quality over all of the Wirral is already unacceptable in health terms.

Fortunately recent research shows the effectiveness of Green Barriers,not of trees, but of tall evergreen hedges along major roads and of green walls on buildings.

Particulate pollution can be cut by 30% to 90% by such means.

In addition, in pollution hot spots, the council must face up to the modest cost of providing high quality air filtering in schools and nurseries.

The basic facts on the air pollution problem on Wirral and the health consequences were presented to Cllr Grey and other senior councillors, face to face, by myself last year, in a formal meeting between the council and activist leaders.

It appears the message was not understood.

It will be repeated again in a 73-page report going into the Local Plan Reg. 18 Consultation shortly.

Professor D P Gregg (retired), by email