I am very pleased to see that Ian Hudspeth is grasping the nettle and looking at the future transport needs for Oxford and the surrounding county towns. I was excited by the picture of the proposed tunnel but then, like others, thought it was pretty impractical and exorbitantly expensive.

Our two authorities need to recognise that we must do something about public transport as we are inevitably moving towards snarl up time if we don’t. Trams from the north of Oxford to St Giles may help, though I am very concerned that this could mean people would have to walk even further for their bus stops. Please think of the elderly and disabled when planning for public transport.

The real issue is the drive to expand both housing and jobs in a city with what is a finite situation in the centre. There truly is no space for new infrastructure around Carfax.

Just moving the bus stops will be like moving the chairs on the Titanic. If we did go for the three tunnels where would the approach tunnels be placed? In particular at the bottom of the High? Maybe the London Road at South Park? What would that do for our heritage views?

Today’s letters

Growth and expansion will not improve our quality of life though it will be good for the construction industry at first. We may be a ‘world class city’ now, but by insisting on more and more houses and businesses being built in West Barton and the Northern Gateway – let alone the masses of housing in surrounding towns whose residents will also want to come to the centre of Oxford at times – we shall cease to be world class and just be more and more uncomfortable to live in.

Sarah Lasenby

Tawney Street

Oxford

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