Sir – It is excellent news that the city council and the Jericho Living Heritage Trust are both preparing bids to acquire the derelict Jericho boatyard.

There now seems a fair prospect that the site may be developed in ways that truly respect St Barnabas church and the heritage of the canal, while at the same time providing real community benefit.

In considering the community benefit, I hope that the provision of a new pedestrian, pram and bicycle-friendly bridge across the canal will still be included firmly in the scheme of whichever organisation carries out the development.

A new bridge would provide Jericho, North Oxford and the new University development on the Radcliffe site with a much-needed link to the train and country bus stations.

At the same time a bridge would allow the residents of Rewley Park to access the local school, Post Office and shops in Jericho and cyclists from the west to reach the north in safety without negotiating the notoriously dangerous station bridge.

The present bridge over the canal at Mount Place only provides a crossing for able-bodied pedestrians.

Tom Hassall, Oxford