SIR -- In his letter (Oxford Mail, December 22), Nigel Eggleton, commercial director of Oxford Bus Company, failed to mention two things -- profits and empty buses.

Bus operators are interested only in how much profit they can make, nothing else.

The more cars they can get banned from going into the city, the more money they make, and the more they can increase fares or get bigger handouts from the council.

Mr Eggleton said that 70 buses an hour were trying to use the two stops in St Aldate's during the closure of Queen Street, but he did not say how many were near empty.

We all know that apart from in the rush hours, a large number of buses are running around the city with few passengers and causing unnecessary pollution.

But neither the bus companies nor the council will admit this.

KEITH BROOKS

Gateley

Horspath

Oxford