Sir – Two UNESCO World Heritage cities, Avignon and Besançon, are getting trams.

So is Caen. Each is a city smaller than Oxford, as are Norrköping, Darmstadt, Schwerin, Würzburg and Zwickau — all of which already have trams. In Potsdam, the same size as Oxford, a 17-mile tram network radiates in seven directions.

A new tramway links Valenciennes (same population as Banbury), Denain (smaller than Witney) and Famars (effectively a village with a university). Aubagne (just bigger than Banbury) has a new tramway. Twenty-three miles of tramways will link Lens (same size as Abingdon), Béthune and Henin-Béaumont (each barely bigger than Witney). Witney-Oxford-Abingdon tram-trains would relieve the A40 and A34. New or widened roads are no alternative: they would only attract more congestion.

Martin Smith has wasted years claiming Oxford is too small for trams. Now he claims they cannot serve central Oxford unless all other traffic is banned and John Tiffany claims street tramlines would be “complicated”.

In reality, motor vehicles, cyclists, trams and their tracks safely share streets in innumerable cities, many as cramped as Oxford. John Tiffany wants monorails with overhead concrete beams in front of Oxford’s architecture. Instead, wireless tramway sections (as in Angers, Bordeaux, Nice, Orléans, Paris and Reims) would blend perfectly. Oxford has no proper transport hub. More of Oxford need links with the rail station but now bus route 3 goes there the forecourt is almost full. Several bus routes get no closer than Frideswide Square, over 200 metres from the station entrance. This is too far for many disabled people. Since 2003, Oxford’s rail passengers have increased from 3.6 million to 5.8 million. Network Rail says by 2019 Oxford station will need four through-platforms plus two through-tracks for freight. Calling the current station and forecourt a “good transport hub” is myopic.

Hugh Jaeger, Oxford Group, Bus Users UK