Sir – There have been several letters in recent weeks justifiably challenging the county's transport proposals for Oxford's centre. Noel Newson’s letter (November 27) should be especially heeded, given his long involvement with transport in Oxford.

I have also had long experience of planning in Oxford, including walking or cycling between St Clement’s and Carfax most days for some 30 years from which experience I would confirm Newson’s point that conditions in High Street have much improved in the last ten years.

Transport policy in Oxford since the 1970s has helped buses provide the main means of access to the city centre to the great benefit of the environment — not least in energy/carbon terms — as well as the city's economy. It would be foolish to undermine this success by introducing yet another discouraging and expensive transfer between car and bus or force buses to share the same congested track as cars by pedestrianising George Street.

From a more local point of view, the proposal for what in effect is a bus station at the Plain is ludicrous. Physically it would only be possible if the county envisage a return to the scale of demolition in St Clement’s entailed by the road schemes of the 1950s and 60s.

There is more space admittedly at London Place, but to accommodate existing traffic as well as the bus station must involve taking a large chunk out of South Park (just as the Eastwyke Farm road did).

It seems to me the county council is in thrall to the vociferous High Street lobby .Instead of such grandstanding, they would do better to concentrate their scarce resources on the practical and organic development of existing policies.

By all means try to reduce the number of buses in High Street, by rerouting London coaches for example or pursuing better co-ordination of the two main bus companies; reduce pollution by supporting the city council's low emission zone; and most important, get the buses out of Queen Street as originally envisaged.

Mike Ford, Oxford