TECHNOLOGY is a wonderful thing and we should take advantage of every new development if it is for the greater good.

So the conference in Oxford yesterday on turning Oxford into a ‘smart city’ is to be welcomed.

As long, that is, as the fine words expressed are translated into deeds that make it easier (and hopefully cheaper) to get around this clogged city of ours.

There were some interesting ideas, for sure: instant feedback to your phone about available parking spaces stands out.

Others are a bit more left field, such as human roundabouts and even traffic lights for pedestrians, as used in China.

Those two are unlilkely to see the light of day here, although there are times in Cornmarket Street when a bit of crowd control would be a blessing.

We can almost hear the BBC Oxford human traffic bulletin now: ‘There are long delays in Cornmarket caused by a collision between two buskers and a couple of pensioners who stopped to have a chat...’