THE western gateway to the city of Oxford has in recent history been a totally embarrassing and shambolic array of traffic lights and tarmac around the railway station area.

The council has now made an effort to create an open space to make the most of the Said building, the Royal Oxford Hotel and the parade of buildings including the old jam factory.

In many European towns and cities these type of spaces are shared between road vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists to great effect.

The users just need to respect each other’s presence.

Before whinging about it, let it be finished and see what it really looks like. Give it a chance – it may take a while to bed in and iron out some issues, but so what?

It was absolutely terrible before so let’s look forward to it being completed.

Let’s be positive for a change and welcome the removal of some of the dreadful engineering and architectural mishaps of the 60s and 70s in Oxford.

There are many more worse things happening in the world.

ANDREW THOMAS
Raleigh Crescent, Witney