ON SUNDAY, we bravely drove through the city of excellence that is Oxford, from Marston to Botley.

We could have used the A34 via A40 but could not face the possible even longer delays on that road.

The traffic towards and through Frideswide Square from St Giles’ was slow and painful.

The cause (apart from vehicles) was the traffic lights at the bottom of George Street. Much too slow to change, so causing gridlock.

Eventually driving down Hythe Bridge Street, one arrives at a scene of complete inactivity.

Nothing was being done, not one individual to be seen.

Expensive machinery parked up and not in use. What does this cost just sitting there? Is it hired? Even if owned by OCC or contractors it should still be working to pay its way 24/7.

In direct contrast, Waitrose in Botley Road is really taking shape.

In the pouring rain and on a Sunday, workmen were busying themselves getting the John Lewis Group business up and running.

This will be finished long before Frideswide Square.

We, the long suffering users of these roads, are expected to put up with this until December at least! Businesses are and will suffer further, the lost income and extra costs to them and public are expected to be borne by us all. Why?

Because the planners and OCC have organised this debacle and are quite content for this to happen and continue at a snail’s pace.

Can someone from the council, with an ounce of responsibility for all of this, please explain, in words that we understand and with figures that add up, quite what the actual cost to speed up this sloth-like activity would be – even by a few months?

Surely by cutting 12 months to say six would not cost that much more.

The BBC DIY SOS team complete a job in nine days that would take months by conventional means. Why? Because there are bodies on the ground and superb planning! With proper planning and some effort this could be achieved here in Oxford. If the council was a business they would be bankrupt and all out of a job.

The same criteria applies to the two roundabouts on A40, Banbury Road and Woodstock Road. This work is to take “16 months”, we hear. There has already been huge disruption of people’s lives. And this at the quietest time of year when schools and colleges are closed and families are away.

ANTHONY GREENFIELD
Raymund Road, Old Marston, Oxford