Sir – As an Oxford resident, I would like to know exactly how the county council plans to save £750,000 by changing Redbridge recycling centre to trade only.

If this plan has been devised for financial reasons — are these available for scrutiny by the public?

How does it work that you save money by making a facility half as productive? I am appalled at the apparent short-sightedness of these proposals. How about the cost of building the new recycling centre? I understand from some of the great guys working at the Redbridge site that health and safety issues are also being used by the county council, ie: it is too dangerous for the public to use. Can this really be true? But not too dangerous for trade?

As most of us know, health and safety will be the death of civilisation.

The county council’s plans to open a public recycling centre in Kidlington will involve central Oxford residents in driving many times the distance they currently drive (dangerous activity as well, many more accidents per year than involved in recycling rubbish at a waste centre) — this will involve a greatly increased carbon footprint as well, I thought we were meant to be reducing our carbon footprints?

Can the county council really be suggesting that a city the size of Oxford is to be left without a central recycling centre?

Maybe there was a public forum about this proposal of which I was unaware? I certainly have not received any information by post or local delivery. Who is responsible for this? Please advise.

Gina Cowen, Oxford