PHIL SOUTHALL of Oxford Bus Company made an alarming statement regarding his companies vehicles needing to travel an extra 149,000 miles if local restrictions are imposed, and the need to hand on the additional cost to the average passenger, let alone the assumed additional congestion and pollution so caused.

Ironic really, considering that the two privately-owned local bus companies have for decades, enjoyed at no additional cost, free range on our city’s road network by way of their ‘exclusive’ bus lanes and gates. Logic says it should have made/saved them thousands.

Perhaps it’s high time that the that the two (elected) councils remembered that these bus companies are privately owned, and pressurised them to review all of their routes, which are probably still based on those drawn up in the 1920s, when both Queen Street and Cornmarket were open to through traffic in both directions? (I know Stagecoach didn’t exist, but they did come along in the 80s as Thames Transit and simply copy the then CoMS routes) I’m sure a few locals in villages or on smaller ‘less profitable’ estates would be glad to see any sort of service at all, thus perhaps reducing their already long walk to and from their nearest well-served route?

Our city’s three main industrial estates, Osney Mead, Horspath Road and Watlington Road get no direct bus service at all, despite the fact that both companies live within 200 yards of the latter two. Woeful.

London buses coming further west than Thornhill and into the city to add to the jams also beggars belief.

Surely they should be made to terminate there and passengers simply change on to the abundant (usually empty running) park-and-ride services into the city centre already provided. That would itself reduce both pollution and congestion at a stroke.

And if he really wants to give passengers a properly fair deal, perhaps he could stop buying flash personalised number plates for his fleet out of company profits and just drop the price of his fares. But as a local yokel......what do I know?

DAVID WILLIAMS

David Walter Close,

Oxford