Sir – Should we thank those who caused the recent ‘fatberg’ beneath Frideswide Square, and Thames Water for their recent excavations that closed George Street?

They have provided valuable, real-time evidence of what we can expect if George Street is closed to traffic, and of the disruption there will be when preparatory work is carried out in the autumn for the remodelling of Frideswide Square, and then for a further nine months next year while the work is carried out, not to mention proposed later works to widen the Botley Road bridge and revamp the station.

The recent works meant one-and-a-half hour journeys by car from Botley to the Westgate (approximately half walking speed), and traffic queues stretching into the distance up Cumnor Hill and along Eynsham Road. The costs of wasted time during the Frideswide Square works are likely to be many millions, not to mention the loss of custom to establishments along the Botley Road and in the city from those who will decide to take it elsewhere.

There is an urgent need for a relief road from the west running parallel to the Botley Road. This might usefully start near the A34/A420 intersection, serve the many retail establishments to the south, and then join up with the Osney Mead estate.

Building a bridge from there across the river and the railway to the Oxpens would provide good access to the new Westgate for the many new shoppers it is hoped to attract.

The estate could then become an integral part of an enterprise zone stretching from the Said Business School to the Westgate, with corresponding financial advantage to the city and county.

Dr Andrew Pritchard, North Hinksey