Sir — The photo of Queen Street accompanying the article Cities need good links (October 17), showing pedestrians battling with a variety of buses, reminds us that, despite a huge number of buses, Oxford still lacks an effective and coherent transport system.

Those who live and work in Oxford will not have been too surprised to learn that we have the fourth longest daily commuting times (51 minutes) in the United Kingdom, after London and Glasgow, despite our smaller population.

The opportunity still exists to follow European practice and help correct this situation by establishing a proper transport interchange at a new Oxpens railway station with four through platforms that Arup recommended in 2002.

As oil becomes more scarce and expensive, faster and more efficient electric rail-based transport, whether by re-opening disused lines or building new tramways, will be even more attractive than it already is today. Rather than allowing piecemeal reconstruction of the West End by developers who have no interest or incentive to improve the infrastructure, the city council should make the construction of a new station and transport interchange an essential part of the project.

Part of the resulting enhancement in value of neighbouring properties could contribute towards the cost, as could many of the organisations whose members or employees currently waste so much time in commuting.

Halving the commuting time for 30,000 journeys, 300 days/year, even on the minimum wage, is worth some £27m/year. The true cost, including avoidable production of carbon dioxide, is far greater than this.

Dr Andrew M. Pritchard, North Hinksey