Sir, I believe most of your readers reading Hugh Jaeger's letter I love the Buses (October 13), would all stay home (as you would normally be advised to do on this day and date), with the further traffic mayhem that would be caused by his draconian suggestions about bringing back buses into Cornmarket Street.

Has he forgotten so soon the hell it used to be for pedestrians in this street, with all the bus fumes, many local people experiencing severe coughing and sore throats that ensued?

We need to press forward in the 21st century, as the councils are trying so hard to do, to pedestrianise more of our city centre streets. Local people are quite able to walk to the ends of these streets (at least 90 per cent plus making well-planned special arrangements for our disabled and elderly, the other ten per cent to pick up their bus at sensibly planned stops).

We are always nowadays being reminded we have an obesity problem. These walks to the bus stops in nearby streets from the main artery ones can surely only add to a healthier society?

If Mr Jaeger loves so many buses clogging up city streets, I suggest he visit cities in India and Egypt, where I have visited lately, and see if he still believes in his suggestions after having a lungful of fumes they have to encounter every day.

P. Berry, Oxford