I am delighted that city councillors Bob Price and Bob Timbs are working with service managers at Hinksey Pool to put in place procedures that will help eliminate, or greatly reduce, the need to queue for admittance on warm days (Oxford Mail, May 23 and June 13).

One simple outcome has been to issue different coloured armbands to each entrant so that the number of people in the water can be kept in line with the number of lifeguards available.

This approach will enable more people to be admitted and, in effect, do their queuing inside the pool area, rather than outside.

Unfortunately, the weather has not been warm enough in the last four weeks to have to put the full procedure into practice.

While I agree with both councillors that it was regrettable that a number of customers had to wait outside for admission on May 9-11 and have no desire to put safety matters at risk, I would not categorise recent events as a "crisis" (Mr Timbs) or "absurd" (Mr Price).

I was surprised to read Mr Timbs's claim that service managers had no plans in place to deal with staff shortages in an emergency.

This is an excellent facility and I support the pool staff and the excellent work they do.

Let us hope we get another warm spell shortly when, with the help of both Bobs, the new procedures and the cooperation of customers, a good time can be had by all.

BOB SPRAY Harberton Mead Headington Oxfordo