It was with some disbelief that I read that Ian Hudspeth was suggesting a tunnel under Oxford’s High Street to relieve the city centre of traffic congestion because I can’t imagine that such a proposal would be taken seriously.

During the construction of such a tunnel there would, most likely, be an increase in congestion and, in addition, the risk of damage to historic buildings. However, I can see some merit in a tunnel, but not there.

Just post-World War Two a town planner (I believe his name was Sharp) was invited to put forward a plan for the future development of Oxford. This plan war detailed in a book called Oxford Replanned. One of the major proposals was for a road to be built through Christ Church Meadow.

Although the planner thought that this new road was essential the idea didn’t go down well with local people, the university or the council.

Later, it was suggested that the idea might be less intrusive if the this new road was sunk into a cutting. If, however, a tunnel is considered under Broad Walk that might be a reasonable way of getting that extra road that the town planner thought so essential without having any serious effect on central Oxford.

There could be problems because Broad Walk is on a former river bed and any tunnel would be well below the water table and I could see difficulties with the sighting of the tunnel approaches.

Derrick Holt

Fortnam Close

Headington

Oxford

Today’s letters

 

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