Thank you for highlighting the embarrassing and disgraceful state of the Oxford Eastern Bypass (Oxford Mail, March 7).

The Oxford ring road is beginning to look more like the outskirts of Cairo in Egypt, acceptable there, but not here.

What must visitors think of our beautiful city? It should not be necessary for volunteers to clean up the city, Angels clean up meadow (Oxford Mail, March 6).

Why isn't the council doing this? What are the cleaning operatives doing in the week they are not collecting domestic rubbish, or is that another cost-cutting exercise? Has the council developed the new British disease - Not my job?

Oxford has the highest reputation for education in the world. People come here from all over the world expecting to see a city of some significance.

What possible message is being sent out when visitors and tourists arrive by car or coach? They must think it's a mistake.

This cannot be the City of Dreaming Spires, more like the City of Dumping Rubbish! No wonder they don't want to stay here.

I cannot believe the council thinks a clean-up operation is not a priority or too expensive - doesn't it own its own vehicles?

All we need is one with a flashing arrow attachment behind it, slowly moving along the route, directing traffic to the other lane temporarily while an operative manually collects the rubbish.

This should be done regularly, preferably early in the morning or at a less busy time of day.

What do people in Oxford pay council tax for?

Perhaps they should consider stopping paying if the council is not doing the job correctly - they can't put everyone in prison.

Why can't Oxford, with the world's greatest brains in three square miles, ever get it right?

Rubbish is the scourge of our society today - it is the first step on the ladder to vandalism and crime - and we have put up with it for far too long. Not enough is being done about it.

We need to educate and punish offenders, and use those on community service, for example to pick up the rubbish.

I advocate bringing into schools the 4 Rs - Reading, (W)riting, (A)rithmatic and Respect.

Respect is equally important as the rest because, without it, education is a futile exercise and society will disintegrate into chaos.

The council should get its act together, set an example and get organised. If it cannot do so, whoever is responsible for the delay in this cleaning operation should be dismissed and replaced with someone who can sort out this mess.

DAPHNE TILLING Horspath Oxford