PERHAPS the concerned people of Barton Estate could not do any better than consult their near, and soon to be ‘nearer’ neighbours on Northway Estate regarding the thought of suffering years and years of tipper trucks trundling through their estate? Northway people are old hands at it.

In the early 1970s when the John Radcliffe Hospital first took shape, most of the ‘spoil’ at that site was transported by tipper trucks and deposited into the field most people will nowadays know as Court Place Farm, home of Oxford City Football Club.

Indeed, so many trucks ran through Northway into that field, the original path they took (Maltfield Road to Marsh Lane) still waterlogs to this day in a triple ‘S’ across the playing field itself.

All sorts of promises were made to the people of Northway at the time, sports facilities and the like, but as was and still is usual, none were ever really kept, and no long-lasting benefit has ever then gone on.

In addition, because the contractor at the time filled in all the small drainage brooks and streams, flash flooding on Northway is a real nightmare in Maltfield and Stockleys Road to this day, 40 years on.

I hope the lessons learned from first time around can be passed on to those looking after affairs for the residents of Barton now.

Northway people really did put up with all sorts, only to be victims of broken promises through no fault of their own, or the superb local Labour councillor of the day, when it was all over.

If Barton has to have much of the same treatment, I hope they at least gain much benefit from it while the work actually goes on, such as better roads and safer crossings for the children etc.

DAVID WILLIAMS, David Walter Close, OXFORD