Editor: I sympathise with holidaymakers who anticipated enjoying the tranquillity and beauty of the Cambrian Mountains on the weekend of 2 to 4 September.

Due to Rali Ceredigion there was an exclusion zone around a vast area of north Ceredigion for the whole weekend.

Residents were under complete lockdown or virtual house arrest or required a permit to enter or leave their property.

Everyone else —walkers, cyclists, visitors, fishermen, horse riders etc — were banned.

I appreciate that rallying is a popular “sport”, but it is also a dictatorship for those who do not enjoy it. It demands the total subjugation of the entire population of a huge area; denies access to all public rights of way for an entire weekend; is highly polluting, dangerous, noisy and damaging to the fragile roads’ residents depend on.

The Welsh Government and Ceredigion County Council have both declared a climate emergency. Have they forgotten?

Climate Change Minister Julie James announced £26 million to limit the carbon footprint of tourism, to improve access to the countryside, so visitors can enjoy it while “leaving only footprints”.How does this equate with promoting Rali Ceredigion and allowing their car parks to be used by the rally? Rali Ceredigion claims to “focus on sustainability, minimise its environmental impact” and “deliver a longer-term legacy of environmental improvement”.

By “offsetting” its carbon footprint from fuel by more than 125 per cent Rali Ceredigion claims to be carbon positive, not just carbon neutral. G

reen washing, or “carbon offsetting” is not sustainability, neither is it sustainable in the long term.It is an erroneous excuse peddled by entitled wealthy polluters to justify their obscene wastage of fuel, and to continue their climate devastating exploits.

Sarah Jane Morgan,

Penbontrhydybeddau