AS AN 80-year-old who grew up on the banks of the Thames near Gravesend and had qualifications for employment in both aeronautical and civil engineering I feel able to say why the barrage is a no go, and, put Mr Turner right.

AS AN 80-year-old who grew up on the banks of the Thames near Gravesend and had qualifications for employment in both aeronautical and civil engineering I feel able to say why the barrage is a no go, and, put Mr Turner right.

Inbound shipping passes between Flat Holm and the Welsh coast with the rising tide and depart on the ebb tide.

I also know that water in motion is the same as air behaves, such as eddies and dragging through or around obstructions, and mid-stream flows fastest.

I think that the North Somerset coast may be the recipient of most flotsam due to the proposed shape of the barrage and, shipping from Avonmouth has to make a port side turn downstream.

My memory goes back to the years when we witnessed the tugs going past towing great big concrete cubes before the Second Front. These were to form part of the Mulberry Harbour, in France.

As an engineer doesn't Mr Turner think our shipyards and engineering companies can't build caissons to take water wheels driving turbines which could be built and located to utilise tidal power anywhere, not only these islands, but the whole world.

Before anything else though, all property should be as near carbon zero rated as possible, also high efficiency incinerators should be built near places like Hinkley to replace the reactors, that would also reduce landfill problems.

BOB DOCKRELL

Grenville Avenue, Locking