Sir, A plan by Oxfordshire County Council for a much-needed park-and-ride in Witney by 2010 (Report, June 9) has been mooted by some West Oxfordshire district councillors for years. A site mentioned was the Downs Road industrial estate.

Relocation of the anachronistic Stagecoach bus depot in Corn Street might, in no small part, be associated with building such a park-and-ride facility. This current vastly overcrowded and noisy bus garage could logically relocate next to a new park-and-ride area.

The time has come for county and district councillors to seriously liaise with Stagecoach officials, and, co-operate in building a larger depot along beside a new park-and-ride site.

In the past, Stagecoach managers have agreed to study the feasibility of relocating its Corn Street depot. They also offered to meet local residents to discuss its adverse environmental impact. A small number of district and Witney town councillors offered support, considering problems caused by the present garage. This was appreciated.

However, most were indifferent ignoring the issue, as was the environmental health office. Hence we no longer pursued the matter, concluding it a time-consuming 'uphill battle'. I, for one, decided to move from my flat opposite the garage.

Nonetheless, provisional county intentions to build a satellite park-and-ride in Witney proves there is an argument for radical changes in public transportation throughout West Oxfordshire.

When the Corn Street bus depot was built around 1920, it then sat on the edge of Witney town limits. Relocated next to a modern park-and-ride area would again place it on the outer town limits, not to mention accommodate it to the 21st century.

Jean-Jacques Marmont, Secretary, Queen Emma's Dyke Residents' Association, Witney