Sir - Dr Carl Heneghan (Letters, March 7) asks for a "safe" route from East Oxford into town. He's right: the council must make Cowley Road, the Plain and High Street safer still. Having said that, with proper training, most children would have the ability and confidence to cycle with the buses into town. In the meantime, here are some alternative routes.

From the Cowley Road side, go along Union Street to Morrell Avenue. Go around the bottom of South Park on the cycle track and dismount to cross Headington Road. Follow Marston Road for about 500 metres, past the new Islamic studies centre, and turn left down Ferry Road. At the end, turn left on to the path across the meadow, past University Parks, to the South Parks Road cycle track. Mansfield Road (left) and Holywell Street (right) offer the best access to Broad Street. Good luck with parking!

Most cyclists don't realise that this picturesque meadow route only adds two minutes to an East Oxford-Jericho journey. It's well worth it.

From Iffley Road, follow traffic-free Meadow Lane to Donnington Bridge. Cross the Thames and head up the towpath to Folly Bridge. Go over Abingdon Road at the pelican crossing and continue along the towpath to the cycle bridge. Cross the Thames and follow the cycle route north to St Ebbe's. Alternatively, continue along Donnington Bridge Road, cross Abingdon Road and follow the national cycle route north, past Hinksey Pool, to the Thames cycle bridge.

There are aspirations for a new cycle bridge from Jackdaw Lane to Abingdon Road, offering a quicker route to the city.

Gwynneth Pedler (Letters, March 7) is right that cycle parking is in crisis. As popular as a bike-rental system will be, providing this by reducing the already scarce provision of cycle racks will never work.

James Styring Chair - Cyclox, the Cycling Campaign for Oxford