Sir, Letters concerning the inadequacies of transport in Oxford continue to feature in your columns. Serious issues such as parking, city-centre buses, cycle routes and pollution remain unaddressed - indeed, the Westgate scheme will only make matters worse.

The West End Development offers a unique opportunity not only to bring vitality to this area of Oxford but also to confront and resolve these and other issues. Last week's public workshops on the development plan generated lively discussion, thanks to the admirable efforts of the city council and its officers to examine the options and produce bold and imaginative suggestions.

The problem with transport, though, is that enactment lies not with the city but with the county - and the county council currently seems unaware of the need for both councils to work together for the public good.

I was, therefore, interested to discover that in Exeter, where a similar division between the city and Devon County Council prevails, "exciting and ground-breaking proposals for future traffic management in Exeter" are being pursued. The county council has applied to the Government for matching funds, in order to devote £2.4m to the project - which includes guided buses and "two new bus-only bridges."

This shows what can be done if co-operation rather than confrontation governs the process of decision-making. The prospect of Oxford city becoming a unitary authority is no longer so remote. Let us hope that the county council now steps forward to demonstrate that it is ready and willing to follow Exeter's example and make joint responsibility work. Otherwise it may find its powers ebbing away.

Maurice Holt, Oxford