WHILE the debate over trains, buses, trams and their respective suitability rages on, are we not taking our eyes off the real focus of the problem?

Surely we need to be looking at why so many people are travelling in and out of our city centres, not only in Oxford but throughout the UK. Everywhere you go is congested.

In an age of technology, do so many people need to commute to their offices every day? Surely more people than ever before can work from home. Therefore are all employers being as responsible as they could?

Do they not trust their employees? Surely a responsible person with a responsible job can be treated in a responsible manner by their bosses.

Working at home would also result in considerable savings for the employer – with smaller offices, less heating, and lower rates and overheads.

While park & ride in Oxford may be deemed a success, the facilities don’t go far enough.

The car parks are often full and for a short visit many consider it to be expensive.

Short stays there should be priced more attractively to promote park & ride use.

Many of Oxford’s satellite towns, such as Abingdon and Witney, used to have railway stations as Bicester and Didcot still have. Surely with all the urban development now taking place in Oxfordshire, it would be attractive in the long-term to redevelop this network, with ample parking at stations, and concessions given on tickets for those who don’t park, but walk or take a folding bike.

They say old habits die hard, but how much publicity is given by the Government to persuade commuters to car-share, use buses, or take the train? Not a lot. How much is being spent on well maintained cycleways which would promote the use of bikes over cars? Very little.

Marking off a bit of road with white lines for cyclists is not the answer. Solutions need to be found and thought is needed, before we all grind to a stop.

People needed to lobby their local prospective parliamentary candidates before the forthcoming election as to what their policies are, and what they intend to do to help bring about change to the living hell that many have to suffer daily.

After all, once in Westminster, these people will no longer have to suffer our problems every day.

STEVE PLANT, Thorney Leys, Witney