Sir, A small but very effective group has mounted the campaign to make the Trap Grounds a Town Green. It is incorrect, however, to suggest, like N.L. Gregory (Letters, June 9) that they represent more than a small minority of local residents.

Some years ago, we effortlessly obtained 250 local signatures in favour of the access road across the Trap Grounds. Some of those who have supported Catherine Robinson's campaign from afar must not be acquainted with the site.

Town Green legislation is intended to protect areas which have been used for recreation by the local community.

Half the site, superb wildlife habitat, is wet and impassable. The rest, alongside the railway line, began to be used by dog-walkers once the breaker's yard and the travellers had disappeared, but has now been colonised by tall scrub, into which only the intrepid venture.

Even if a Town Green is declared, perhaps the most appropriate benefit for the local community would be to open out the scrub for recreation and to build the road around the margin, leading into Navigation Way. The school and the Laing development were planned to be accessed by that road; those who bought houses there did so on that basis.

We still hope that even if a Town Green is established, the road will still be built to replace the current dangerous school access, to allow the school to adopt a nursery class, and to create the compensating environmental benefit of a pleasant bridge to Aristotle Lane for pedestrians and cyclists only, whilst preserving the important wildlife habitat near the canal.

Tim King, Carol Cunningham, John Gould and Elisabeth Salisbury, Audrey Johnson, Jeremy and Polly Mitchell, Valerie Pirie, Leonora Pitt, Matthew and Elizabeth Stephenson, Oxford