Pretty good deal

Sir, We're delighted our bus awareness campaign has had such an impact on your correspondent, Mike Haffey (Letters, September 15). "All the best European cities have good public transport . . . like Oxford", he quotes and then bemoans the absence of the word "cheap". There's one big difference between Oxford and major European cities. It's the level of public funding. Over 98 per cent of the Oxford Bus Company's services are run without subsidy. I'm not sure any aspect of Oxford life should be described as "cheap"! However we do offer great value for money. If you travelled to work from Abingdon to Oxford and back it could cost you as little as £2.20 a day, the equivalent of 15 pence per mile. That's a pretty good deal; I don't think Mr Haffey could run a car as cost effectively or cheaply for that matter!