• THIS current coronavirus crisis is already ghastly for everyone, but Westminster City Council, it seems, may be intending to make it worse.

Apparently, the council is eagerly giving permission for very noisy, non-essential, ultra-fast, cabling work to be undertaken the streets of Soho. This is surely socially irresponsible.

According to government instructions, we have to stay indoors, with a few exceptions. Indeed, the elderly and vulnerable are not even given the exceptions.

As a result, while the noisy works and racket are on the go, the elderly, the vulnerable – indeed to a very large extent all of us – are forced to stay in, with our mental health significantly endangered together with the pollution of dust and grit and so on.

If we go out, we are exposing ourselves to Covid-19 and directly flouting the government’s instructions.

Does Westminster Council have no concern for the health and welfare of its residents? Is there not a duty of care? Can it really be the case that a few months’ delay in ultra connectivity outweighs the health of residents?

We have a functional broadband system. Yes, it could be improved, but improving it right now is a rather odd priority when people’s lives are at risk.

JOY HARVEY
Meard Street, W1