MOST mornings while lying in bed (as I’m retired) with cup of tea in hand, contemplating my ruined city and listening to the local traffic reports, I feel so sorry for those poor souls having to use Oxfordshire’s roads to get to wherever they have to be and on time.

I hear that traffic has again backed up beyond Eynsham, sometimes to Witney, on the A40 into Oxford – this despite £12.5m wasted on upgrading Woodstock and Cutteslowe roundabouts and providing traffic lights that have actually impeded the flow rather than keep traffic moving.

How the Sunderland Avenue residents feel now about the busy A40 passing their front gardens, one can only imagine. Where is the road that was suggested to avoid and bypass this area?

Similarly the flyover from A40 into Marsh Lane is clogged and traffic is at a standstill, morning and night, as vehicles attempt to reach and leave Headington’s hospitals, shops and schools.

Apparently the plan is to remove the two free-flowing roundabouts at bottom of Headley Way and install 18 traffic lights to slow the flow. Crazy!

This section of the Access to Headington Plan is part of the £12.5m so-called improvements.

In fact most of the ring road and A34 is in deep trouble. I continually hear now that Abingdon Road is chock-a-block and Botley Road is afflicted as well (£80,000 now to be spent in Frideswide Square repairing two bus bays as previous surface not fit for purpose).

One does wonder what our councillors are being paid for. Is it to provide inadequate sized park-and-rides well out of city limits? For this is precisely what they have done.

They talk the talk but are incapable of walking the walk. These same so-called leaders have thought it wise to allow a John Lewis store and 100 shops plus restaurants right bang in centre of all this mayhem!

There are no car park signs yet installed informing road users of spaces near the Westgate. No point installing anyway as car parks and roads will be full from dawn to dusk. John Lewis alone should be outside the city. Their High Wycombe store is on the fringe of town and has 700 free car park spaces!

The High Street and St Aldate’s is ruined with continual bus movements and now the operators want to commandeer Queen Street. Not even a bus terminus! Oxford needs a new road to avoid The High. A sunken road across Christ Church Meadow was once rejected.

This or similar must be looked at again. The pedestrianised areas and road surfaces are bland with nothing to offer visitors.

Unfortunately, none of our councils or university are capable of getting together or have the foresight to end the appalling tragedy that is my city of Oxford.

TONY GREENFIELD Raymund Road, Old Marston