Sir – It is time that Oxford City Council learned some lessons from history.

First, you do not sell off the family silver, or in their case local car parks, second you do not destroy local shopping and eating areas, then third you do not have prearranged deals with developers.

I thought that they would have learned a lesson from the futile and expensive campaign they undertook when trying to destroy the Trap Grounds in favour of a developer some years ago.

Whenever possible we try to use public transport for all our purposes, but from time to time we need to use a car park in Summertown, St Clements and Headington, especially when collecting large items and also late in the evening. Those without regular public transport depend even more on such car parks.

Our city councillors should ask one simple question. “Who are we really serving in the long term by selling off car parking areas?”

Peter Hewis (Rev), Yarnton