I READ with interest Mark McArthur-Christie’s comments about asking people to abandon cars on the A40 in favour of buses.

Until May, I always used the bus to travel to Oxford hospitals, even though having no direct bus to Oxford presented problems since it was axed last year.

Now, I am unable to access public transport, so rely on the wonderful Volunteer Link-Up service to take me to various appointments.

This of course involves using a dreaded car, and negotiating the sheer hell of the A40 roadworks – the drivers are amazingly calm all things considering, bless them.

The only way people will be able to not use cars is for a 24/7/52 access to buses – several of which are being cut due to costs. Carterton seems to manage a 10-minute service to Oxford (lucky them!) from early until late, but until that happens, as Mr McArthur-Christie says, it is like asking people to forgo washing machines and use non-existent laundrettes.

Certainly Oxford is useless for shopping; and trying to negotiate a tri-walker on a bus with a load of shopping (assuming one finds what one wants) and changing two or three times would put even the hardiest of commuters off using it.

Improve public transport, possibly add better disabled access to smaller buses, provide that tramline, railway, whatever, but please – some of us have no choice but to go by car, so stop condemning us.

I dare say the tri-walker would get in the way on the bus – at least in the car seat it bothers no one except the volunteer driver.

The council can’t have it both ways. Stop cutting buses if you want us to use them!

DOROTHY HOLLOWAY
Wenrisc Drive, Minster Lovell, Witney