Sir – One of your correspondents last week was concerned about the damage that British Gas caused to the attractive red paving in Little Clarendon Street, in Oxford.

The Highways Department assures me that they always check to see that such things are properly reinstated by the company responsible for the work.

In this case there was a problem with their first contractor, so it is taking longer than it should, but we expect to see the red areas reinstated by the end of March.

Susanna Pressel, County councillor for West Central Division